STTR Phase I: Novel Chemically Resistant Membranes

该小企业技术转让第一阶段项目将开发新型化学和热稳定的高选择性高氟化混合基质聚合物膜。该计划的目标是应用强化膜分离作为处理高温和腐蚀性化学品的蒸馏分离的替代方案。蒸馏是化学工业中的主要分离过程，并且消耗大量的能量和资本成本。许多腐蚀性化学品很难用蒸馏法分离。虽然膜提供了潜力，但大多数都受到侵蚀性化学品和温度限制的困难的限制。紧凑型膜系统开发了一系列全氟膜，具有高温能力，在腐蚀性化学品中操作的能力和高通量。化学加工业将受益于使用温度上限高达240ºC、分离系数得到改善的全氟膜。该计划通过开发具有全氟化基础聚合物和高度氟化添加剂的混合基质膜来解决这一特殊需求。通过引入更大量的添加剂以及适当选择添加剂，我们期望显著改善基础全氟聚合物的通量和分离性能，同时保持其独特的稳定性。该技术的更广泛影响/商业潜力可以降低化学加工行业的能源消耗。蒸馏消耗了化学加工工业三分之一的能源。具有上级化学和热性能的增强膜方法可用于替代/改进许多这些蒸馏分离。最大的市场是乙醇脱水市场。乙醇预计将增长到美国燃料的40%以上。如果发生这种情况，市场是每年50-60亿加仑的燃料。该项目可能会导致一个能源效率高的过程，以生产乙醇，以及减少能源消耗的化学加工工业。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will develop novel chemically and thermally stable, highly fluorinated mixed matrix polymeric membranes with high selectivity. The program's objective is to apply enhanced membrane separation as an alternative to distillation separations that deal with high temperature and aggressive chemicals. Distillation is a major separation process in the chemical industry and consumes significant energy and capital costs. Many aggressive chemicals are difficult to separate by distillation. While membranes offer potential, most are limited by difficulties with aggressive chemicals and temperature limitations. Compact Membrane Systems has developed a family of perfluorinated membranes featuring high temperature capability, ability to operate in aggressive chemicals, and high flux. The chemical process industry would benefit from perfluorinated membranes with high upper use temperatures of 240ºC with improved separation factors. This program addresses this particular need by developing mixed matrix membrane having perfluorinated base polymer and highly fluorinated additives. By introducing greater quantities of additives as well as appropriate choice of additives, we expect to significantly modify flux and separation properties of the base perfluoropolymers while retaining their unique stability.The broader impact/commercial potential from this technology could reduce energy consumption in the chemical process industries. Distillation consumes one-third of chemical process industry energy. Enhanced membrane processes with superior chemical and thermal properties can be used to replace/improve many of these distillation separations. The largest market is the ethanol dewatering market. Ethanol is expected to grow to upwards of 40% of U.S. fuel. If this occurs the market is 50-60 billion gallons of fuel per year. This project could lead to an energy-efficient process to produce ethanol as well as reduce the energy consumption of the chemical process industries.