Ohio researchers develop hybrid CO2 capture membrane
19 Nov 2012
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed a new hybrid membrane that combines the separation performance of inorganic membranes with the cost-effectiveness of polymer membranes.
According to the group, the technology has commercial potential for use at coal-fired power plants with carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS).
At the moment, the energy cost of current separation technologies is too high to make rapid commercial deployment of CCUS technologies feasible.
The researchers hope they have overcome this with their membrane, which consists of thin layers of either polymer (organic, plastic) or inorganic (metal, ceramic) materials that are permeable to the molecules they are meant to capture, such as water, CO2, or oxygen.
The technology has commercial potential for use at coal-fired power plants with carbon capture, utilisation, and storage
The layers are generally deposited on a membrane support structure. Polymer membranes are mass produced and very cost effective, while inorganic membranes are expensive to produce but exhibit much better performance.
Project manager José Figueroa said: “Combining inorganic and organic membrane materials in a hybrid configuration is a breakthrough that could potentially lower costs associated with clean coal technologies.”
Ohio State researchers developed a first prototype by combining new nanotechnology characterisation and fabrication methods with state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques.
In the laboratory, they were able to slash the zeolite Y growth rate from 8 hours to less than 15 minutes and reduce ceramic processing time from 43 hours to 20 minutes, resulting in inorganic/organic membrane development within one hour.
They have also achieved adhesion of the inorganic intermediate layer onto a polymer support.
The promising results follow previous success the team has had in making continuous, intact inorganic layers on polymer supports and developing new membrane-production techniques.
