3M is the world's largest provider of membrane contactors, with Liqui-Cel as one of its lead products (a membrane contactor which rapidly strips dissolved gases from liquids without chemicals). 3M supplies a variety of materials for etching, chemical-mechanical planarization, surface finishing and thermal management. The company’s newer offerings include a patent-pending process for applying ultrasonic waves to immersed membranes to increase porosity at a lower cost. 3M acquired Polymore's separations media division in 2015, expanding the portfolio of its Filtration & Separation division, which offers a variety of low-pressure membranes and filtration options for industrial applications, such as ultrapure water production.