CCEM Talks: Dr. Vittorio Boffa

Dr. Vittorio Boffa is an Associate Professor at Aalborg University, Denmark. His research focuses on functional inorganic and hybrid materials, advanced membrane technologies, photocatalysis, and the development of porous media for water purification and resource recovery.

Separation processes usually rely on trade-offs, but in the materials I study, we aim to break those limits. This talk addresses a challenge across several water treatment and recovery systems: how can we achieve ultra-precise molecular selectivity without sacrificing permeability and long-term stability? In conventional nanofiltration, boosting flow rates almost always compromises rejection efficiency, and fouling remains a persistent barrier. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) offer a fresh way forward: by engineering their custom pore dimensions and chemical functionality, we can construct microscopic expressways that separate ions and organic pollutants with unprecedented precision. Moving beyond traditional membranes, the same principle extends to novel glassified MOFs and selective ion-exchange resins. Together, these strategies show how atomic-scale material design can reshape advanced separation systems, bridging fundamental chemistry with large-scale environmental applications.