The primary goal of the newly established laboratory headed by Dr. Roy Bernstein will be to investigate and broaden the knowledge and the use of material and polymer science in membrane synthesis for environmental and industrial applications. This will be accomplished using a multidisciplinary approach combining chemistry, materials and polymer science, surface science, environmental science and engineering and water treatment technologies.
The main interest in the coming years will be to develop and improve polymeric and mixed matrix membranes (hybrid organic inorganic membranes) with specific properties for various applications. This includes water filtration and desalination, pervaporation, solvent resistance nanofiltration, vapor-gas separation and pressure retarded osmosis. The membranes will be fabricated in-house including in a hollow fiber configuration which is a new ability in ZWIR (and in Israel). This will provide the maximum flexibility to obtain a membrane with desired properties which will be determined by the requirements of specific applications. The strategies for fabricating new membranes and modifying existing ones to achieve these properties will be driven by physicochemical and transport mechanism considerations. Hence, membrane development will be carried out alongside fundamental research on model systems having well defined characteristics. Furthermore, fabrication conditions of developed membranes will be optimized in an effort to allow scale-up of the developed membranes and their application. Such efforts will utilize the presence of the pilot plant in Sde-Boqer to carry out such initial scale-up studies.
Concurrently to researcha lecture-based course and a lab course on membrane materials will be developed. The course will combine fundamental science principles together with the latest scientific literature. The practical lab course will supplement the theoretical course so that the students will acquire a practical experiment in membrane preparation, characterization and application. The courses will provide students with tools which will help them to integrate in the expanding water industry and other fields where membranes are used.

Postdoctoral 2012 -2013 In Prof. Ivo vankelecomlab, Bioscience engineering faculty Centre for Surface Chemistry and Catalysis K.U.Leuven, Belgium
Ph.D. 2006- 2010 Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Environmental Engineering, and The Department of Desalination & Water Treatment

Zuckerberg Institute for Water Treatment.

Research Advisors: Prof. Viatcheslav Freger and Dr. Sofia Belfer

Thesis: Membrane Surface Modification by Concentration-Polarization Enhanced Radical Graft Polymerization for Improved Membrane Performance

M.Sc. 2003-2005 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Soil and Water Sciences.

Research Advisors: Prof. Avenr Adin and Prof. Yona Chen.

Thesis: The Use of Electrocoagulation to Remove Humic Acid from Water and as a Pretreatment in Membrane Filtration

B.Sc. 2001-2003 The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Chemistry and the unit for Environmental Studies