PFI:AIR - TT: Scalable NIL-membranes

这个PFI: AIR技术翻译项目的重点是翻译纳米光刻，表面图案，液体分离膜（nil膜）的发现，以满足高性能，工业分离的需求。该项目将为镍基膜的可扩展性制造提供概念验证。纳米膜具有规则的亚微米表面图案的独特特征，这些图案被机械地压印在现有的商业膜上，同时保留了原始膜的超选择性分离特性。这些特点提供了更高的能源效率，更低的操作成本，并且与化学修饰膜表面的主要竞争方法相比，不会产生化学废物。该项目解决了将研究发现转化为商业应用所需的大规模技术差距。特别是，制造和使用柔性，低成本，聚合物图案模具制造的nil膜？使用连续，压力和温度应用要求的工业制造设备？从未被研究或证明过。该项目将进行概念验证研究和开发（在6英寸的中试规模上），以制造柔性图案薄膜；利用这些薄膜在捏辊压花工艺中制造更大尺寸的nil膜；并评估这些原型膜的具体工业应用。该项目与落基山创新中心和水智库合作，指导商业化方面的工作。此外，许多其他食品和膜公司也作为利益相关者积极参与这项研究，以增加对将从研究发现到商业现实的技术转化工作中生产的更大膜的测试。由于合成膜广泛应用于水、食品、生物制药、石化、化石和可再生能源、微电子、医疗和其他面向消费者的行业，以执行不同程度的“细度”和复杂程度的“过滤”，因此nil膜平台非常重要。nil膜的生产力提高将降低成本，节约能源，减少对环境的影响，从而加速膜工艺在供水和再利用，食品和能源生产以及生物医药制造等领域的效益。此外，未来5年的潜在经济影响预计为4000万美元/年（此后每年增长7-8%），这将有助于美国在全球膜供应市场空间的竞争力。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating the discovery of nanolithographically, surface-patterned, liquid separations membranes (NIL-membranes) to fill the need for high performance, industrial separations. The project will result in a proof-of-concept for the manufacturing scalability of NIL-membranes. A NIL-membrane has the unique feature of regular, submicron surface patterns, which are mechanically embossed on existing commercial membranes, while retaining the original membranes' permselective separation properties. These features provide the advantages of higher energy efficiency, lower operating costs, and no chemical waste generation when compared to the leading competing approach of chemically modifying the membrane's surface. This project addresses the scale-up technology gap(s) required to translate the research discovery toward commercial application. In particular, the fabrication and use of flexible, low cost, polymeric patterning molds for manufacturing NIL-membranes?using continuous, pressure and temperature application required for industrial manufacturing equipment?has never been studied or demonstrated. The project will conduct proof-of-concept research and development (on a 6" pilot scale) to fabricate flexible patterning films; use those films in a pinch roll embossing process to fabricate larger-sized NIL-membranes; and evaluate these prototype membranes for specific industrial applications.The project partners with the Innovation Center of the Rockies and Water Think Tank, LLC to guide commercialization aspects. Additionally, a number of other food and membrane companies have been actively engaged with the research as stakeholders to augment testing the larger membranes to be produced in this technology translation effort from research discovery toward commercial reality.The NIL-membrane platform is important because synthetic membranes are broadly used in water, food, biopharma, petrochemical, fossil and renewable energy, microelectronics, medical, and other consumer-oriented industries to perform "filtration" with varying degrees of "fineness" and complexity. Productivity enhancements from the NIL-membranes will lower costs, save energy, and lessen environmental impacts, thus accelerating the benefits of membrane-based processes across areas such as, water supply and reuse, food and energy production, and biomedicine manufacture. In addition, the potential economic impact is expected to be $40M/y in the next 5 years (and grow 7-8%/y thereafter), which will contribute to the U.S. competitiveness in the global membrane supply market space.