The Need

Inorganic membranes have been employed for a variety of gas separation applications, including hydrogen purification and carbon dioxide sequestration. A major limiting factor to the application of inorganic membranes is the frequent occurrence of defects which limits reproducibility, stability, and the separation performance of the membranes. There remains a need in the art for membranes, methods of making membranes, and methods of separating gases. Zeolite membranes have the potential to be utilized as economically viable systems of CO2 removal from gases (like flue gas) that feature both high selectivity and high flux. Compared with micron-sized zeolite, nanozeolite has large external surface areas and shorter diffusion path lengths, which may lead to new properties in catalysis. However, long crystallization time and low yields in synthesis procedures limit its commercial use and increases production costs.

The Market

• The Carbon capture & sequestration market is estimated to reach about $6.8 billion by 2019, signifying a firm growth rate of over 27.18% from 2013 to 2019. ("Carbon Capture & Sequestration Market - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2019," Markets and Markets, May 2014)• Membrane module sales for gas separating applications are estimated to have reached $218 million in 2013 and projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.0% over the next five years. The business currently is dominated by a few large-volume end uses; a much larger market exists in applications that are just beginning to reach commercialization. Beneficiaries of this improved gas separation technology will be the refinery, petrochemical and natural gas industries. ("Membrane Technology for Liquid and Gas Separations," BCC Research, Aug. 2014)• New robust, high selectivity membranes are required for processes that are simply not possible with traditional polymer materials. If competitively priced with polymeric elements, or found to be cost-effective for a particular function, membranes now in development should find widespread application when introduced commercially. ("Membrane Technology for Liquid and Gas Separations," BCC Research, Aug. 2014)

The Technology

Researchers at The Ohio State University led by Dr. Prabir Dutta have synthesized bendable nanozeolite Y membranes that demonstrate an excellent ability to separate different types of gases. This method enables the high yield synthesis in only one hour of dispersed zeolite Y particles with an average diameter of 40 nm. This invention addresses a major obstacle facing nanozeolite synthesis by decreasing synthesis time and increasing yield. The process is inexpensive and reproducible and generates highly stable membranes suitable for a variety of gas separation applications.