MDPI

Electro-Driven Membrane Separations for Sustainable Bio-Based Chemical Recovery: Energetics, Selectivity Engineering, Scale-Up Challenges, and Industrial Translation

The economic viability of circular biorefineries is fundamentally constrained by the energetic and thermodynamic limits of conventional downstream processing. This critical review examines the paradigm shift toward electro-driven membrane separations, establishing them not merely as alternative filtration devices, but as active, programmable electrochemical interfaces. Moving beyond classical bulk-desalination models, the analysis elucidates the complex reactive-transport physics governing bio-based chemical recovery, where localized pH modulation, electrostatic gating, and field-induced speciation dictate molecular discrimination. The manuscript critically benchmarks the inescapable macro-scale thermodynamic tradeoff among interfacial selectivity, volumetric productivity, and specific energy consumption (kWh/kg). Furthermore, it evaluates the integration of active 2D nanoconfined materials (e.g., MXenes) and rigorously critiques the severe performance degradation modes—specifically electro-biologically coupled fouling and anodic oxidation—that paralyze industrial scale-up. Ultimately, this review outlines a strategic mandate for the fully electrified biorefinery, where continuous in situ product recovery, artificial intelligence-guided module design, and autonomous cyber-physical control systems converge to eliminate legacy thermal unit operations and seamlessly integrate biomanufacturing with decarbonized electrical grids.