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INNOVATION
A process involving surface growth of silicone nanofilaments to introduce new properties, such as super-hydrophobicity, to commercial membranes.
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Market Maturity: Market Ready
These are innovations that are outperforming in innovation management and innovation readiness, and are considered to be "Ready for the market". Learn more
Market Creation Potential
This innovation was assessed by the JRC’s Market Creation Potential indicator framework as having a Noteworthy” level of Market Creation Potential. Only innovations that are showing multiple signals of market creation potential are assigned a value under this indicator system. Learn more
Women-led innovation
A woman had a leadership role in developing this innovation in at least one of the Key Innovator organisations listed below.
Go to Market needs
Needs that, if addressed, can increase the chances this innovation gets to (or closer to) the market incude:
  • Prepare for Market entry
  • Secure capital
Location of Key Innovators developing this innovation
Key Innovators
UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDG)
This innovation contributes to the following SDG(s)
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 6
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

The UN explains: "Clean water is a basic human need, and one that should be easily accessible to all. There is sufficient fresh water on the planet to achieve this. However, due to poor infrastructure, investment and planning, every year millions of people — most of them children — die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation and hygiene."

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

The UN explains: "Investments in infrastructure – transport, irrigation, energy and information and communication technology – are crucial to achieving sustainable development and empowering communities in many countries. It has long been recognized that growth in productivity and incomes, and improvements in health and education outcomes require investment in infrastructure."

The EU-funded Research Project
This innovation was developed under the Horizon Europe project SuperClean with an end date of 30/06/2026
  • Read more about this project on CORDIS
Description of Project SuperClean
Our world faces an urgent need for a greener industry with reduced water consumption and zero pollution, alleviating water scarcity problems. Membrane distillation (MD) is being explored for production of clean water from industrial waste streams in the steel, textile, food and other industries. Several challenges need to be overcome to achieve a full commercial market breakthrough for MD: Membrane wetting, scaling, and fouling. We plan to accept the challenges by using superhydrophobic membranes. Such membranes are also useful in oil-water separation, and a range of environmental applications. During the FET “HARMONIC” project, two RORs Max Planck-MPIP and NCSR-Demokritos developed complementary technologies for membrane superhydrophobicity, which impart extreme antiwetting, antiscaling and antifouling membranes. The technologies are based on plasma activation or plasma nanotexturing (NCSRD) followed by wet nanofilament growth (MPIP) or plasma deposition (NCSRD) for hydrophobization. Both institutions will advance their technology readiness level so the technology is validated - demonstrated in relevant environment (TRL 5-6), and will design, build, and test small scale pilot equipment for fabricating rolls of superhydrophobic membranes in a roll-to-roll format. For the upscaling of the technology NCSRD and MPIP, will cooperate with two industrial partners, namely Europlasma and SolSep respectively companies with large experience with roll-to-roll plasma or wet processes respectively. Moreover, they will team up with Aquastill, a manufacturer of commercial MD modules for industrial wastewater treatment. A market search and a business plan will be elaborated, for creating a spin-off company commercializing the superhydrophobic membranes, and processes. The range of applications will go well beyond MD.

Innnovation Radar's analysis of this innovation is based on data collected on 19/03/2024.
The unique id of this innovation in the European Commission's IT systems is: 119741