Mass transfer research and industrial practice in 2026 increasingly focus on process intensification. Technologies such as membrane contactors, rotating packed beds, and hybrid absorption–adsorption systems are being adopted to reduce equipment size and improve efficiency. These systems enhance interfacial area and mass transfer rates while lowering energy consumption.
Applications include carbon capture, gas purification, solvent recovery, and advanced separations in chemical and environmental engineering. Engineers are paying closer attention to transport resistances, phase equilibrium, and hydrodynamics to optimize performance.
Mass transfer remains a core pillar of chemical engineering, and modern developments show how classical theory continues to drive innovation.