Emergent Materials for Membrane Preparation: from Circular Economy to Environmental Sustainability.

The actions of the circular economy are geared towards a sustainable future, improving the quality of human life by minimizing the use of hazardous materials and optimizing air and water quality. These challenging objectives can be achieved by putting into effect different strategic and modern technologies. Among them, membrane technology offers several advantages such as a reduced environmental impact, a lower operation cost, and a safe and flexible scaling up. However, membranes' manufacturing via the traditional phase inversion techniques still requires the use of thermoplastic polymer based on petroleum resources and toxic solvents, often classified as "of very high concern" by the European regulation REACH. The focus of this Special Issue is to highlight the applications of emerging materials for membrane preparation such as polymers derived from biomass, bio-polymers, blends or composites from renewable resources. Examples of innovative membranes can include polymeric membranes from biorefinery concept, preparation of novel membranes from natural biopolymers or biodegradable polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHAs), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), and others, advanced catalytic membranes, new generations of membrane for waste water treatment, air purification, self-cleaning surfaces and other pioneering themes. Moreover, additional topics related to use of non-toxic and environmentally friendly solvents for membranes production will also be included.