Polymeric membranes in biorefinery

Biorefinery as well as bio-based for the green chemistry represents one of the main objectives of the scientific community for the development of the green-type industries. Among the separation technologies used in biorefinery, membrane-based separation has attracted widespread attention in last decades because it provides low chemical consumption, higher energy efficiency, lower environmental impact, outstanding fractionation and separation capabilities. In particular, polymeric membranes appear more competitive because they offer good performance and economics. In this chapter, a review of the relevant membrane preparation and characterization methods, as well as their applications in biorefinery sector are presented. They represent challenging opportunities for research and development in the biorefinery and the bioenergy field.