A critical review article by Prof. Ir. Dr. Yong Wai Fen, Master's student Voon Boon Kee, and undergraduate student Yap Yen Juin from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), has been published in Green Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal by the Royal Society of Chemistry (Impact Factor: 9.2, SCIE Q1). The work was carried out under the Centre of Excellence for Green and Advanced Technologies in Efficient Separations (GATES).
The article, titled "Green Solvents in Membrane Separation: Progress, Challenges, and Future Perspectives for Sustainable Industrial Applications", is co-first authored by Voon Boon Kee and Yap Yen Juin under the supervision of Prof. Yong Wai Fen. It reviews the urgent need to replace hazardous solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) with environmentally friendly alternatives. The study classifies a range of emerging green solvents, including γ-valerolactone (GVL), Cyrene™, Tamisolve® NxG, Rhodiasolv® PolarClean, ionic liquids (ILs), deep eutectic solvents (DES), and plant-derived oils, while assessing their performance in liquid and gas separation membranes.
In addition to solvent classification, the review explores polymer–solvent interactions using Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP) and highlights the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in predicting polymer–solvent compatibility. By addressing sustainability, scalability, and techno-economic feasibility, the review provides a forward-looking perspective for the development of membrane technologies in areas such as carbon capture, water purification, and sustainable industrial processing.
The full article is available at: https://doi.org/10.1039/D5GC03161C.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number: 22108118), the State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Xiamen University (grant number: 2024X32), Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund (grant number: XMUMRF/2024-C14/IENG/0073), and Hengyuan International Sdn. Bhd. (grant number: EENG/0003).
| Voon Boon Kee is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Chemical Engineering at the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, and is a member of the Centre of Excellence for Green and Advanced Technologies in Efficient Separations (GATES), under the supervision of Prof. Yong. She has served as a research assistant since her final year project in 2020. Her research focuses on environmental impact assessment and the development of sustainable green solvents, particularly for membrane applications in gas separation. |
| Yap Yen Juin is an undergraduate student in Chemical Engineering at the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia. She is a research assistant under the supervision of Prof. Yong and a member of the Centre of Excellence for Green and Advanced Technologies in Efficient Separations (GATES). Her academic interests include membrane materials, green separation processes, and sustainable chemical engineering. |
| Prof. Ir. Dr. Yong Wai Fen is a Professor and Head of Programmes (MSc and PhD in Chemical Engineering) at the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, and Director of the Centre of Excellence for Green and Advanced Technologies in Efficient Separations (GATES). Her research focuses on sustainable green materials, membranes, and separation technologies. She has received numerous national and international awards, including the 2025 National Outstanding Researcher Award (Private Education Cooperative of Malaysia (Educoop)), the 2024 Distinguished Women Scientist Award (ISPT, Elsevier), and recognition among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University in 2023-2024. |
