Nala Membranes Secures Key Patent in Europe Following Similar Grants in the USA and Worldwide

Technology Covers Solution to“The Holy Grail” Challenge of Biofouling in the Water Purification Industry

RESEARCH TRIANGLE, NC, UNITED STATES, September 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NALA Membranes, a deep tech company pioneering the next generation of durable, chlorine-tolerant reverse osmosis membranes for desalination and wastewater treatment, announced today the issuance of Patent No.19750604.1 by the European Patent Office.

This milestone represents the latest in a series of patent grants from agencies around the world for technology developed by Nala Membranes founder Judy Riffle, Ph.D., and teams from the University of Texas at Austin, and Virginia Tech. These patents cover materials and membrane technology that reduces biofouling, “the holy grail” challenge of the water treatment industry, according to the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR).

Nala Membranes received a Phase II SBIR award in 2021 to refine this technology. Today, the company offers a suite of membrane solutions that improve outcomes and reduce costs associated with reverse osmosis and nanofiltration, methods of water treatment experiencing rapid global expansion, expected to reach $32.0 billion by 2029. This growth is driven by increasing water scarcity and contamination, a rise in the number of desalination plants globally, and growing interest from the municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors in water purification technologies that enable cost and energy saving strategies, such as water reuse.

In recent months, Nala Membranes has scaled its testing and preliminary purchase order program to domestic and multinational partners across various segments, including food and beverage, semiconductor, consumer electronics, and energy. The company is now rapidly expanding its operations and manufacturing capacity in North Carolina.

The company is also exploring co-located facilities near international strategic partners ready to leverage Nala’s unique manufacturing approach which results in no liquid waste (and its associated permits and disposal costs). This approach is safer and more sustainable compared to conventional TFC PA (RO/NF) membrane production.

About NALA Membranes
Headquartered in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park, NALA’s pioneering technology makes water reuse and desalination cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and scalable. Since its founding in 2018, the company has received multiple awards, most recently, the prestigious Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination by the Saudi Water Authority, the world’s largest producer of desalinated water. Engineered to withstand the rigors of the most challenging water sources, NALA’s chlorine-tolerant reverse osmosis membranes deliver robust performance and reliability to governments and multinationals across the food and beverage, semiconductor, consumer electronics, and energy industries.

Maggie Bump
Nala Membranes
+1 919-342-7781 ext. 102
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