Jun 07 2009
Clean water
Sadly there are still many people in the world that lack clean drinking water. They have to drink water contaminated with toxic chemicals and waste and finding a more affordable way then traditional done (i.e. Polymer membrane water filters) is making it hard to change this. But IBM researchers have made a new membrane material that resists problems that are common with polymer-membrane water filters such as clogging up and fouling. The new membrane material is made out of a polymer developed by Allen’s lab and Central Glass called hexafluoro alcohols. This new polymer works more effectively at a high pH while others simply don’t. It should be more energy efficient since it does not clog or foul as often as traditional filters hopefully making up for it’s higher cost.
