Researchers Dr. Choi Ji-yeon and Jeong Nam-jo of the Marine Energy Convergence and Integration Research Team of Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) successfully developed a wave-patterned ion-exchange membrane that is not easily contaminated and has minimal pressure loss inside the stack for salinity gradient power.

The patterned ion-exchange membrane developed by the researchers significantly increased the stability of the stack with the pressure reduced to 1/3 and improved contamination resistance.

The findings of the research were published in npj Clean Water, which is an academic journal in the field of the environment and water issued by Springer Nature, and the patent for the patterned ion-exchange membrane and its manufacturing method has been registered.