Dr. Jhen-Cih Wu

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

National Taiwan University

My research focuses on the development and application of electrified membrane-based technologies for water purification, resource recovery, and contaminant degradation. A central contribution lies in the rational design of functionalized electrochemical membranes and nanocomposite electrodes, where I engineer materials with tailored surface chemistry, hierarchical porosity, and optimized electrochemical activity to meet specific treatment objectives. This includes the fabrication of flexible, conductive membranes and the integration of catalytic nanostructures such as TiO2, graphitic nitrogen-enriched carbon, and noble metals to enhance reactivity and selectivity. A key area of focus is advanced electrocatalysis and photoelectrocatalysis, targeting the efficient degradation of emerging contaminants, including persistent micropollutants and metal–organic complexes such as Co–EDTA prevalent in semiconductor wastewater. By coupling tailored catalytic sites with applied electrical or photo-assisted potentials, these systems can deliver high degradation performance while minimizing energy consumption. Additionally, I investigate electrochemically driven ion separation processes for deionization and selective ion capture, targeting the recovery of critical raw materials such as cobalt, as well as ammonia and nitrate from wastewater. These processes support circular resource utilization, reduce environmental burdens, and enhance the sustainability of water treatment systems. By integrating these synergistic approaches, my research seeks to advance sustainable water and wastewater treatment technologies that promote environmental remediation, strengthen resource security, and enable the transition toward a circular water–energy–materials nexus. The ultimate objective is to develop scalable, high-performance systems capable of addressing clean water access and resource recovery challenges while maintaining energy efficiency and resource resilience.