Welcome to AMT Research Group

Our research interests span both fundamental and applied aspects of membrane science and separation technology. On the fundamental side, our group focuses on the development of advanced membrane materials, including polymeric, facilitated transport, mixed matrix, and carbon membranes, in both flat-sheet and hollow fiber configurations, and works extensively in molecular simulation and quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) modeling, as well as thermodynamic analysis using methods such as COSMO-RS.

On the applied side, our work targets membrane-based separation processes for gas and liquid streams. Specific applications include CO2 capture, biogas upgrading, natural gas sweetening, olefin/paraffin separation, hydrogen purification, forward osmosis, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and fuel cells/electrolysis. We integrate experimental studies with multi-scale simulation (molecular simulation, mathematical modelling, process simulation) and techno-economic feasibility analysis to advance membrane technologies for industrial and sustainable energy applications, including biofuel (e.g., biohydrogen) production.

Representative publications:

  1. Kaifang Wang, Zhongtai Zhu, Yuqi Liu, Weiran Zheng, Ziyi Yuan, Zhihong Lin, Raphael Semiat, Lu Shao, Xuezhong He*, Adsorption-enhanced Carbon Membranes Derived from Copolyimide for Ultrafast Sub-angstrom Discriminating CO2 Separation, Science Advances, 2025, 11(48), eadv8650. DOI:1126/sciadv.adv8650
  2. Kaifang Wang, Zhongtai Zhu, Zhihong Lin, Yuqi Liu, Ziyi Yuan, Jiali Tang, Raphael Semiat, Xuezhong He*, Coupling Polyimide-amide with Thermally-stable Metal Azolate Framework for Intensifying Gas Transport through Hybrid Carbon Membranes, Journal of Membrane Science, 2025, 718, 123688, DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2025.123688
  3. Jiali Tang, Viatcheslav Freger*, Lu Shao, Xuezhong He*, Direct-through channels of ZIF-8 composite membranes via in-situ PolyBMA sealing: Radical-induced phase transformation and dye removal efficiency, Journal of Membrane Science, 2025, 14, 23412, DOI: 10.1016/j.memsci.2024.123412.
  4. Zhihong Lin, Ziyi Yuan, Kaifang Wang, Xuezhong He*, Synergistic Tuning Mixed Matrix Membranes by Ag+-doping in UiO-66-NH2/Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity for Remarkable CO2/N2 Separation, Journal of Membrane Science, 681(2023) 121775, DOI: 1016/j.memsci.2023.121775
  5. Lei, F. Pan, A. Lindbråthen, X. Zhang, M. Hillestad, Y. Nie, L. Bai, X. He*, M.D. Guiver*. Carbon hollow fiber membranes for a molecular sieve with precise-cutoff ultramicropores for superior hydrogen separation, Nature Communications,12 (2021) 268, DOI:10.1038/s41467-020-20628-9
  6. He*, Polyvinylamine based Facilitated Transport Membranes for Post-combustion CO2 Capture: Challenges and Perspectives from Materials to Processes, Engineering, 7 (2021) 124-131 DOI: 10.1016/j.eng.2020.11.001

Laboratory equipment:

Research Projects

  • 汕头市上科技局(汕头创新型城市建设)项目 ,电化学驱动阴离子交换膜直接空气碳捕集技术,2025-10-31至2028-06-30 ,  在研,主持
  • 广东省自然科学基金-基础与应用基础研究基金,非对称碳膜氢分离机理研究, 2024A1515010234, 2024-01-01至2026-12-31, 在研,主持
  • 国家自然科学基金外国学者研究基金项目(RFIS-2), 22350610242, 超薄碳膜亚纳米孔构筑机制及高效氢分离机理研究, 2024-01-01 至 2025-12-31,  结题, 主持
  • 科技部重点研发, 政府间国际科技创新合作重点专项, 2023YFE0127000, 新型高效水净化膜研究, 2023-12-01至2025-11-30, 结题,子课题负责人
  • 深圳市科技创新局, 技术攻关重点项目, JSGG20220831105403006, 船用膜法碳捕集装置及膜技术研发, 2022-11 至2025-10, 结题, 子课题负责人
  • 科技部高端外国专家引进计划, G2022030037L, 开发高效气体分离膜, 2022-01至-2023-12-31,  结题, 主持
  • Norwegian Research Council, 应用基础研究, Carbon membranes for CO2 removal from high pressure natural gas in subsea process (CO2Hing),267615, 2017-03 至 2020-12, 1370万挪威克朗, 结题, 主持