Turner alfrey and hollow-fiber membrane technology

Abstract

Membranes in the form of hollow fibers are increasingly being used for processes such as desalination, hemodialysis, and recovery of various gases. Turner Alfrey played a crucial role in the birth of this new technology: (1) He selected and taught the necessary fundamentals of polymer science to the researchers trying to make this new idea work. (2) He actively encouraged the researchers and their financial supporters by his clear understanding of the soundness and the potential of this new engineering tool. (3) He even demonstated how to tailor the properties of a polymer to the task at hand by his own elegant laboratory experiments.