Natural Composite Membranes for Water Remediation: Toward a Sustainable Tomorrow

Natural composites as green membranes have shown great potential in water remediation. These membranes combine merits from both natural polymer and inorganic or organic additives. Natural polymers are biodegradable, non-toxic and offer flexibility for design purposes. Incorporation of additives can enhance the mechanical and thermal properties or impart antibacterial and catalytic properties to the composite. This chapter provides an overview of the different types of natural polymer composite membranes and their functions. It also highlights the recent development of cellulose, chitosan, and natural rubber composite-based membranes in water treatment technologies between 2010 and 2015.