SBIR Phase I: Monodisperse Ceramic Membranes and Membrane-Reactors

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在开发和商业化新型单分散陶瓷膜和膜反应器。我们的创新基于自组织阳极氧化铝，具有精确设计的多孔结构和以前无法达到的孔径（低至1 nm或更小），大大增强了化学和热稳定性，以及卓越的机械性能。可商购的阳极氧化铝膜由于其易碎性、对酸和碱攻击的敏感性以及缺乏用于对称膜的孔径小于100 nm的膜而具有有限的实际应用。所提出的方法解决了这些限制相结合的创新合成的高度有序的纳米多孔阳极氧化铝与对称的孔隙率，阳极氧化铝转化为多晶陶瓷，同时保持其形态，和保形沉积的功能层。 所提出的技术将能够在低于1 nm至200 nm的范围内对孔径进行微调。材料在纳米孔内的沉积将提供期望的功能。该膜将针对选定的应用，如下一代汽车的燃料电池重整器，微机电系统（MEMS）的集成介观电源，以及未来的便携式能源。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop and commercialize novel monodisperse ceramic membranes and membrane-reactors. Our innovation is based on self-organized anodic alumina with precisely engineered porous structure and previously unattainable pore size (down to1 nm or less), greatly enhanced chemical and thermal stability, and superb mechanical properties. Commercially available anodic alumina membranes have limited practical application due to their fragility, susceptibility to acid and base attack, as well as the lack of membranes with pore size smaller than 100 nm for symmetrical membranes. The proposed approach addresses these limitations by combining innovative synthesis of highly ordered nanoporous anodic alumina with symmetrical porosity, conversion of anodic alumina into polycrystalline ceramic while preserving its morphology, and conformal deposition of functional layers. The proposed technology will enable the fine-tuning of the pore diameter in the ranges from below 1 nm to 200 nm. Deposition of materials inside the nanopores will afford desired functionality. The membranes will target selected applications, such as fuel cell reformers sized for Next Generation Vehicles, integrated mesoscopic power sources for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), as well as future portable energy sources.