NSF Award
0233047
This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on the separation of light hydrocarbon mixtures by pervaporation. Chemically and mechanically robust composite membranes have been made; these membranes showed good selectivities and fluxes when tested with propylene/propane mixtures. In the proposed project a range of related membranes will be evaluated with three target light hydrocarbon mixtures: propylene/propane, n-butane/isobutane and toluene/n-octane. These close-boiling mixtures are produced on a very large scale in petrochemical plants and refineries and are expensive to separate by distillation. Based on the Phase I membrane performance results, a preliminary economic and technical analysis will be prepared. The most promising membrane and application will be targeted for the focus of the Phase II project and for commercialization activities. <br/><br/>Potential Commercial Applications of the research separation of close-boiling light hydrocarbon mixtures, such as propylene from propane, is performed on a massive scale in the petrochemical and refining industries. Lower-cost, more energy-efficient membrane-based separation technology would be widely adopted.
