SBIR Phase I: Nanocomposite Membranes for Solvent-Resistant Nanofiltration and Reverse Osmosis

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop a scalable process for producing a highly selective, solvent-resistant nanofiltration membrane (SRNF). While numerous nanofiltration membranes exist for use in aqueous systems, few such membranes are available for filtration in organic solvents. The objectives of this proposal are to fabricate a solvent-resistant nanocomposite membrane with enhanced organic solvent flux and selectivity, and to demonstrate the stable performance of such a membrane under realistic testing conditions. Scalable methods of membrane synthesis will be developed, and it is anticipated that such membranes will have a factor of two improvement in permeability relative to current solvent-resistant membranes.The broader/commercial impacts of this research are thousands of TWh of energy saved, avoiding billions of tons of CO2 emissions, while simultaneously reducing the volume of solvents consumed and discharged into the environment and in many cases improving the quality of end products. Huge volumes of solvents are used in the production and refining of products spanning the nation's largest industries including petroleum refining, biofuel and biochemical production, chemical synthesis, pharmaceutical manufacturing and production of foods such as edible oils. The vast majority of solvent separations are today implemented by energy intensive thermal distillation techniques because sufficiently robust and high performing membrane technology does not exist. The potential market value of membranes and energy savings is at least $5B annually.