Project description
Sustainable bio-based membranes to replace fossil fuels
Conventional polymer membranes are derived from fossil fuels, non-biodegradable, and use toxic solvents, posing risks to health and the environment. There is a pressing need for sustainable membranes designed with green chemistry principles. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Green-Mem project will develop bio-based, biodegradable membranes from renewable resources such as cellulose and chitosan, replacing fossil fuels. The project will combine material science and machine learning to optimise production for applications in water treatment and filtration. Partners from Belgium, Türkiye, Ireland, Italy, Latvia and Malaysia will collaborate on material development and pilot testing. The project also emphasises sustainable design, open science and gender equality, to strengthen Europe’s position in the circular materials economy.
Objective
Conventional polymer membranes are predominantly fossil-based, non-biodegradable, and fabricated with toxic solvents that pose risks to both human health and the environment. This creates a paradox where technologies intended for water treatment contribute to pollution. To overcome these challenges, there is an urgent need for environmentally sustainable, innovative membranes designed according to green chemistry and engineering principles. Green-Mem aims to pioneer fully bio-based and biodegradable membranes using renewable resources such as cellulose, chitosan, and natural fibres, replacing fossil-based polymers and hazardous solvents. The project will combine material science with machine learning (ML) to predict and optimise membrane properties, enabling scalable, energy-efficient fabrication while ensuring mechanical stability, biocompatibility, and high performance. Targeted applications include water treatment, antimicrobial filtration, and other areas requiring safe and selective separations.
The consortium brings together 11 partners (6 academic, 5 non-academic) from Belgium, Türkiye, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, and Malaysia in an international, inter-sectoral, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Academic and industrial partners will jointly develop novel material combinations, optimise fabrication methods, and validate operational performance through pilot demonstrations. LCA and TEA will guide sustainable design, ensuring circularity and end-of-life strategies.
Beyond scientific and technical innovation, Green-Mem is committed to open science, gender equality, and capacity building. Structured staff exchanges will foster knowledge transfer, enhance researcher skills, and create lasting research collaborations. By advancing eco-designed, recyclable membranes and aligning with the European Green Deal, the project supports sustainable growth, environmental leadership, and Europe’s global position in the circular materials economy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences economics and business economics sustainable economy
- natural sciences computer and information sciences artificial intelligence machine learning
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE - HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-SE-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
42130 Selcuklu Konya
Türkiye
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.