The filtration and treatment of water becomes increasingly important worldwide. With porous membranes, microorganisms, dissolved organic components or salts can be efficiently separated from waste water, depending on the membranes’ pore size, without any additional chemicals. Fraunhofer IKTS was able to develop the first worldwide nanofiltration membrane made of ceramics with a pore size of less than 1 nm. Together with inopor GmbH, the manufacturing was set-up on an industrial scale and numerous applications have already been realized.

"The award is of enormous significance and makes us proud. This distinction is a great acknowledgement for the long-standing joint research and development of inopor and Fraunhofer IKTS, and also an incentive for continuing this work," says Dr. Ingolf Voigt, director of Fraunhofer IKTS at the site in Hermsdorf.