A membrane (8) is used as a collection substrate in an electrostatic precipitator. Possible material choices include fibers in the form of woven mats, screens made from stainless steel wires or fiber reinforced polymer composite membranes. The membranes have a tensile bias (14) applied during operation, and have impulse tensile forces applied during a dust removal step. By combining a dry electrostatic precipitator membrane field with wet-film cleaning field, it may be possible to improve collection efficiencies both by reducing turbulence and eliminating re-entrainment losses due to rapping. Through implementation of new materials that resist hostile electrostatic precipitator environments, the invention enhances the possibility of using novel technologies, such as pulsed corona and others, suitable for removal of molecules such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur oxides, which is very important for meeting the proposed PM2.5 EPA emissions regulations.