SBIR Phase I: Nano-Engineered, Surface Selective Membranes for the Production of Oxygen-Enriched Air

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将评估纳米工程、表面选择性膜，用于生产氧含量为40-70的富氧空气。将采用的技术方法将首先将陶瓷介孔支架的孔从直径3-5纳米缩小到0.4-1.0纳米。然后将采用第二次表面改性，以获得将选择性地在氮上吸附和运输氧的表面。这种技术的结合将产生一种膜，其表面经过纳米工程处理，对氧气的吸附和运输具有高度选择性，从而产生一种经济的陶瓷膜，用于生产富氧空气。这个第一阶段研究项目的主要影响将是它对社会的影响，通过用更有效的膜法来生产富氧空气，取代耗能的分离。由于成本低，该技术将用于燃料和化学品加工等小批量应用以及钢铁和玻璃制造等大规模制造过程。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will evaluate nano-engineered, surface selective membranes for the production of oxygen-enriched air with an oxygen content of 40-70. The technical approach that will be employed will be first to narrow the pores of a ceramic, mesoporous support from a diameter of 3-5 nm to 0.4-1.0 nm. A second surface modification will then be employed so as to obtain a surface which will selectively adsorb and transport oxygen over nitrogen. This combination of techniques will result in a membrane whose surfaces have been nano-engineered to be highly selective for oxygen adsorption and transport leading to an economical ceramic membrane for the production of oxygen-enriched air. The major impact from this Phase I research program will be its impact on society through the replacement of energy consuming separations with a more efficient membrane approach for the production of oxygen-enriched air. This technology will find use in small-volume applications such as fuels and chemicals processing and larger-scale manufacturing processes such as steel and glass making due to its low cost.