Dr Lan Weiguang is an internationally recognised leading figure in the field of inorganic separation membrane materials. His research focuses on precise microstructural control, advancing the transition of inorganic membranes from the laboratory to large-scale applications in key industries such as water treatment, biomedicine, and new energy. He pioneered a full-chain innovation model that encompasses materials design, process development, and equipment integration.
The high-performance ceramic membranes developed by Dr. Lan feature a pore-size gradient design to construct asymmetric, multiscale channels based on alumina, enabling highly efficient filtration from the micrometre scale down to as fine as 0.1 nanometres, with virus removal rates exceeding 99.99%. Through the application of surface charge engineering to modulate the Zeta potential of ZrO₂ membranes, the adsorption capacity for charged substances – such as heavy metal ions – has been increased fivefold, effectively overcoming the traditional size-based limitations of membrane separation.
Dr Lan’s extensive work in ceramic membrane materials has enabled a breakthrough in the industrialisation of high-performance ceramic membrane technology. In the water treatment sector, the world’s first ceramic membrane MBR system – developed under his leadership – has reduced energy consumption by 40% and demonstrated a lifespan of 15 years, with stable operation for over a decade at Singapore’s Changi Water Reclamation Plant. In the field of industrial wastewater, a fluoride-selective adsorption membrane was developed for electronics effluent, achieving fluoride recovery purity above 99.9%, and is currently deployed at TSMC facilities. In biopharmaceutical applications, a biomimetic heparin-functionalised membrane has increased AAV virus capture efficiency to 95%, while a solvent-resistant TiO₂ membrane has replaced the conventional penicillin distillation process, reducing energy consumption by 70% – a technology recognised with China Patent Gold Award. Collectively, these achievements mark a full-chain innovation milestone for China in the field of advanced ceramic membranes.
Dr. Lan’s major contributions in this field lie in his outstanding academic innovation and strong capability in technology transfer. As a pioneer in bridging research and application in inorganic materials, he has published 11 high-quality journal papers, been granted 39 core invention patents, and successfully translated 14 applied patents into practical technologies. This series of innovations not only demonstrates his deep academic expertise, but also highlights his leading role in integrating research, industry, and application.
Drawing on his expertise in inorganic membrane materials and extensive experience in industrialisation, Dr. Lan has proposed a forward-looking research direction aligned with China’s national “dual-carbon” goals. He advocates for the use of inorganic membrane technology to redefine the research paradigm for battery materials – aiming to precisely regulate ion transport and interfacial reactions, thereby overcoming the efficiency and cost bottlenecks of traditional electrochemical systems. At Xiamen University, Dr. Lan established the Energy and Environmental Materials Laboratory, focused on developing battery materials with high ionic conductivity and interfacial stability, supported by closed-loop validation across the full chain from materials to electrodes to cells. To date, the lab has published one journal paper in the field of new energy, with two more under review and three invention patents currently under application.
Dr. Lan’s research follows a clear and purposeful trajectory – from foundational work in materials science, through breakthroughs in transport mechanisms, to the redesign of energy systems. By bringing the ion selectivity and interfacial engineering advantages of inorganic membrane technology into electrochemical applications, his team is helping shift battery materials research away from trial-and-error methods toward rational, design-based strategies. This work is helping to build the technological groundwork needed for the world’s transition to cleaner energy.