An overview of polymer nanocomposite membranes for environmental and biomedical applications: current challenges and future perspectives

Polymeric membranes have gained attention in diverse technological fields owing to their high flexibility, excellent pore-forming ability, and relatively low cost. Polymeric membranes are quite effective in miscellaneous applications, but are accompanied by limitations due to their mechanical strength, hydrophobicity, and fouling characteristics. Significantly, the emerging polymer nanocomposite membranes (PNCM) hold great promise as a response to these problems. This is mainly because PNCM can be customized with desired functionalities to fulfill the requirements for its versatile applications. It can be done by adjusting their physical and chemical characteristics, including hydrophilicity, porosity, charge density, and mechanical strength. An overview of current advances and trends in the fabrication, functionalization, and adjustment of PNCM nanomaterial-induced physicochemical properties is highlighted. This review explains the current status of membrane technologies, the evolution of PNCM, fabrication methods, characteristics, fouling, and antifouling phenomena. Different technological applications with special emphasis on environmental and biomedical applications have been discussed in detail. Finally, the membrane’s current challenges and future recommendations with emphasis on polymers. Generally, this review would attract researchers’ and students’ interest in nanocomposite membrane (NCM) technology and its applications.