Background

Given the volume of solvents, catalysts and products used and produced in the chemical, energy, and pharmaceutical industries, there is a strong need for efficient and cost-effective means for their separation. At present, industrial separation can contribute a significant percentage to a product’s final cost. While membrane technologies have been explored to address this need, the environments in which they are expected to work, ones which may involve harsh organic solvents as well as elevated temperatures and pressures, present challenges that often preclude their effective use. In many cases, competing membranes either possess low permeance and/or low selectivity.

Technology Overview

This University at Buffalo invention provides a facile method for fabricating nanoporous membranes that are not only stable across a variety of organic solvents as well as at elevated temperatures and pressures but also demonstrate high permeance and selectivity. Compared to certain state-of-the-art membranes, the membranes resulting from this method provide 2.5 to 10 times higher permeance while maintaining equivalent or higher selectivity, the combination of which may enable the use of smaller membranes for existing separation processes. The molecular weight cutoff (MWCO) of these membranes can be precisely controlled in the range of 200-1,000 Da, with a step change of approximately 100 Da.

Stage of Development

Laboratory demonstration.

Benefits

Simple and tunable fabrication
High stability
High permeance
High selectivity

Applications

Nanofiltration
Semiconductor

Opportunity

Available for licensing or collaboration.

Ceramic Membranes for Organic Solvent Nanofiltration

Patents

IP Status

Seeking