Water Purification in the Bioeconomy: Nanocellulose-Based Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Water purification via reverse osmosis (RO) is a key technology benefiting societies worldwide. Widely used at residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial level, RO purification systems are employed also for medical applications as well as for seawater desalination. The semipermeable asymmetric membrane is the key enabling technology for modern reverse osmosis. Following the conclusion of the nanocellulose hype technology cycle, this study proposes a practical framework for the development of nanocellulose-cellulose acetate nanocomposite RO membranes. A bioeconomy perspective on the technology concludes the study.