What does the seawater desalination industry need from polymer scientists?

The seawater desalination industry does not need exotic two-dimensional materials. However, it faces challenges in terms of membrane resilience to stressors such as temperature and oxidation and especially in the area of (bio)fouling. Membrane replacement is a large part of the operating expenditure of modern desalination plants and anything that increases the effective lifespan of a membrane will have economic impact. There are also emerging requirements for membrane selectivity, especially in desalination-adjacent brine-valorisation activities. These challenges provide abundant scope for the exercise of creativity by polymer scientists.