Membrane separation technology has broad applications in various fields such as environmental protection, chemical engineering, medical treatment, new energy and new materials. Its interdisciplinary nature is prominent, and it plays an important role in the development of multiple industries. There is a viewpoint in the industry that "whoever masters membrane separation technology will grasp the future of the 21st century", which shows its importance.

However, the membrane separation technology started relatively late in China. After I received my doctorate in Japan in 2002, I hope to gain something in the field of membrane separation and make a modest contribution to the realization of the modernization of our country.

At the beginning of returning to China, we overcame numerous difficulties, built a rudimentary experimental platform, and formed a membrane separation technology team. In addition to applying for national project funding, we have also conducted cooperative research and technical services with Xi'an High tech Zone, China Aluminum Luoyang Nonferrous Metals Group, Xi'an Municipal Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.etc. In the practice of scientific research and social services, the research direction has been further established and condensed, and multiple high-quality research papers have been published.

Our team insists on not considering paper publication or patent application as the ultimate outcome of scientific research. Instead, we adhere to the combination of theory and practice to solve theoretical problems that meet the actual needs of the industry; Adhere to transforming theory and patent achievements into practical technology, accept practical testing and promote productivity development; Practice the idea of "Writing Scientific Papers in Motherland and applying sci & tec achievements to the great cause of national modernization", and tirelessly explore the practical path of transforming scientific and technological development and research achievements into productive forces. Nowadays, the membrane separation technology team has become a "key scientific and technological innovation team in Shaanxi Province".

In 2012, a series of technological inventions based on separation membrane modification and low-pollution ultrafiltration membrane preparation were implemented by Zhongse Technology Company, and an industrial platform with an annual output of 3 million m² of hollow fiber ultrafiltration and microfiltration membranes was constructed (Suzhou DOYUM Environmental Technology Co., Ltd.). Through an integrated production line, the complete production of membrane components has been achieved and applied in projects such as sewage regeneration, water supply treatment, and industrial circulating water treatment. At the same time, the team closely tracked the international application and development trend of intensive membrane separation technology, participated in the co construction of Suzhou Junkang Medical Technology Co., Ltd., and built an annual production line of 4 million blood dialyzers. The hollow fiber blood dialyzers produced by the company are mainly sold in foreign markets. The company obtained the CFDA medical device registration certificate in early 2018, and sales in the domestic market have been gradually carried out.

In 2016, it was a crucial year for team development. With the care and support of Shaanxi Provincial leaders and the Department of Science and Technology, the "Shaanxi   Membrane Separation Technology Research Institute" and "Shaanxi Membrane Separation Key Laboratory" were established based on the existing team. At the same time, the "Shaanxi  Membrane Separation Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd." was also established, pioneering the basic research platform, scientific research base and achievement transformation onto a fast track. The team's multiple invention patents got the “battlefield” to play its role, forming an innovation model of "joint R&D platform - maker space (professional incubator)+campus seed fund", which integrates industry, academia, and research. Besides, the incubated enterprises are also developing healthily.

On the basis of the support of the Provincial Department of Science and Technology and the Seed Angel Fund, and taking advantage of the rich resources in salt lakes in northwest China, we set up our own project. In the field of Recycling, we focused on the development of technology for extracting lithium from salt lake brine that is suitable for poor lithium and high magnesium lithium ratio with membrane separation as the core, overcame major key technical problems, and applied for more than 10 national invention patents; The constructed Lithium carbonate production process for salt lake brine runs stably, making the application of membrane separation technology in the field of precious and rare Recycling under complex water quality conditions enter a new stage, and large-scale Lithium carbonate production is being implemented.

Facing the future, we will closely integrate the development trend of global polymer membrane materials, innovate independently, and achieve and transform a batch of domestically leading scientific research achievements in the field of resources and environment. We strive to establish several industry research innovation bases within 3 to 5 years to serve economic and social development to create greater ecological, social, and economic benefits.

In the new era of Socialism with Chinese characteristics, the Chinese Dream is the common goal of the Chinese people. As a university teacher, integrating the ordinary work of realizing one's own values and dreams into the cause of the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, one will have a firm and great belief. Great beliefs are like a bright light, illuminating the path forward.

About Author: Wang Lei, male, born in May 1971, is currently the Vice President, Professor, and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Environment of XUAT, the leader of the Shaanxi Provincial Key Science and Technology Innovation Team, the Director of the Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory for Membrane Separation, the President of the Shaanxi   Membrane Separation Technology Research Institute, and the Vice Chairman of the Shaanxi Provincial Environmental Science Society. He has recently won one first prize in Science and Technology in Shaanxi Province and one first prize in Science and Technology of Xi'an, as well as the International Eni Nomination Award; He has been awarded several awards, including the Young Science and Technology Innovation Leading Talents of Shaanxi Provincial Innovation Talent Promotion Program, the Top 10 Outstanding Youth of Xi'an in 2010, and the Top 10 Entrepreneurship Outstanding Figures of Xi'an in 2018. More than 27 national invention patents were approved, multiple high-quality academic papers were published, including over 60 of which indexed by SCI and nearly 30 indexed by EI, and nearly 30 SCI District 1 papers.