NSF Award
8860947
Polymeric membranes are now used worldwide to perform energy-efficient, low-cost separation of liquid and gas process streams. Design engineers routinely conside membrane-based unit operations as viable alternatives to conventional separation technologies. However, the inability of polymeric membranes to withstand high-temperatures or chemically harsh environments deprives many industries of the key advantages of membrane technology. Currently available polymeric membranes are now used in some of these harsh settings, but their characteristic cost- and energy-efficiencies are offset by the need for expensive pretreatment of chemically destructive process streams or by the need to drastically cool hot feed streams. For most processes, such pretreatment is impractical or altogether impossible. Moreover, non-polymeric membranes (e.g. ceramic) currently available are too expensive, difficult to modularize, and/or prone to irreversible fouling. This project will investigate the feasibility of using a group of robust polymers to prepare membranes capable of withstanding up to 300 degrees centigrade in chemically challenging operations. In Phase I of the project, appropriate polymers will be evaluated and screened for diffusion properties to various gases and liquids. One or more will be selected for further study in Phase II, where membranes based on these polymers will be developed and optimized. Polymeric membranes are now used worldwide to perform energy-efficient, low-cost separation of liquid and gas process streams. Design engineers routinely conside membrane-based unit operations as viable alternatives to conventional separation technologies. However, the inability of polymeric membranes to withstand high-temperatures or chemically harsh environments deprives many industries of the key advantages of membrane technology. Currently available polymeric membranes are now used in some of these harsh settings, but their characteristic cost- and energy-efficiencies are offset by the need for expensive pretreatment of chemically destructive process streams or by the need to drastically cool hot feed streams. This project will investigate the feasibility of using a group of robust polymers to prepare membranes capable of withstanding up to 300 degrees centigrade in chemically challenging operations. In Phase I of the project, appropriate polymers will be evaluated and screened for their potential to separate gas or liquid molecules from one another if a membrane based on the polymer were to be developed. One or more will be selected for further study in Phase II, where the actual membranes based on these polymers will be developed and optimized.
