The Transport-Model-Independent Description of Membrane Transport: Optical and Thermo-Optical Spectroscopic Experiments and Analysis

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AbstractProposal Title: The Transport-model-independent Description of Membrane Transport: Optical and Thermo-optical Spectroscopic Experiments and AnalysisProposal Number: CTS-0437621Principal Investigator: Sankar NairInstitution: GA Tech Res Corp - GITReflectance and photoacoustic FTIR spectroscopy will be developed for probing the concentration profiles of the diffusing species in membranes. This technique complements the existing experimentation in this field in that it provides sub-micron information about both the chemistry of the membrane and the concentration profile of the diffusing species. The proposed research plan includes a comprehensive modeling component, primarily with regard to interpreting the experimental data. The software package developed is expected to provide a useful visualization tool of transport through membranes. The PI has previously demonstrated the strengths of the technique and published on its principles in the literature. Separate TGA experiments will be used to determine the solubility (partition coefficient) of the diffusing species in the membrane. Once the concentration profile, species flux, and solubility are known, one can match the experimental data to simple transport models. The proposed research is expected to have broader impact in the field of separations by offering a new and powerful method for studying the transport of fluids through membranes. The new insights and methods from this research will be incorporated into the undergraduate and graduate course curriculum as a module within courses on transport phenomena in confined and nanoscale environments. The educational and outreach plans outlined in the proposal are well articulated and feasible. Assessment mechanisms proposed are very important and represent strong points of the proposal. Many fields of technology would directly benefit from this research including sensor membranes, fuel-cell membranes, and membrane reactors.