Scientists at the USF have developed chitosan membranes that possess a high water flux permeability that when subjected to a difference in salinity gradient concentrations could be useful for many applications including as a micro porous support layer in a Thin Film Composite membrane assembly used in Reverse Osmosis water purification and water desalination operations. In addition, the salt gradient driven ion migration across the chitosan membrane results in a voltage potential of 0.6 mV under osmotic equilibrium, making it useful as the membrane within an electrochemical concentration (dialytic) fuel cell.
Equilibrium Molar Concentration of Na and Cl Diffused Across the Alpha and Beta 2% Chitosan Membranes.