I-Corps: Multifunctional Ceramic Reactive Electrochemical Membrane Filtration

这个i-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是一种潜在的改变游戏规则的过滤技术的商业化，该技术基于在膜表面产生的协同电化学反应。膜过滤在饮用水处理、食品加工、化学净化和制药工程等广泛的工业应用中是不可或缺的。该项目将为过滤用户提供在节省膜清洗、维护、更换以及高质量产品(如过滤水)方面的资本成本方面的价值主张。该项目还将通过增加全球膜过滤市场对多功能和反应性膜的需求来影响膜制造商，预计到2018年全球膜过滤市场的需求将达到26.4亿美元。因此，该项目的最终目标是将当前的膜工业从传统的物理过滤升级和转变为先进的、具有化学反应的膜系统。这一过程还可能带来新的商业机会和促进劳动力发展。这个i-Corps项目致力于开发更高效、灵活、耐用和多功能的膜技术这一长期目标。本课题研究了一种新型的电极化反应性电化学膜。在REM过滤过程中，电流通过膜产生高活性的自由基(一种能与有机化合物迅速反应并将其氧化成二氧化碳和水的化学物质)。因此，可以有效地缓解由于有机物积累或孔堵塞而造成的膜污染。本发明将通过在藻类生物质分离过程中的应用展示多种益处。具体地说，该项目将制造和测试一套REMS，以评估生物质分离效率、渗透水质和防污染性能，并阐明电化学氧化的潜在机理和对污染缓解的影响。研究结果将为新一代反应膜的合理设计提供基本指导。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the commercialization of a potentially game-changing filtration technology based on the synergistic electrochemical reactions created on membrane surfaces. Membrane filtration is indispensable for a wide spectrum of industrial applications such as drinking water treatment, food processing, chemical purification, and pharmaceutical engineering. This project will provide filtration users the value propositions in saving capital costs on membrane cleaning, maintenance, replacement as well as high quality products (e.g., filtered water). This project will also impact membrane manufacturers by increasing the demand for multifunctional and reactive membranes in the global market of membrane filtration, which is estimated to reach $2.64 billion by 2018. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this project is to upgrade and transform current membrane industries from traditional physical filtration into advanced and chemically reactive membrane systems. This process will also potentially lead to new business opportunities and foster workforce development.This I-Corps project addresses a long lasting goal of developing more efficient, flexible, durable, and multifunctional membrane technologies. This project investigates a novel reactive electrochemical membrane (REM) powered by electric polarization. During REM filtration, electric current runs through the membrane to generate highly reactive radicals (a chemical that rapidly react with organic compounds and oxidizes them into carbon dioxide and water). Thus, the membrane fouling due to organic matter accumulation or pore clogging can be effectively mitigated. This invention will demonstrate multiple benefits through the applications in algal biomass separation processes. Specifically, the project will fabricate and test a suite of REMs to evaluate biomass separation efficiency, permeate water quality, and anti-fouling properties and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of electrochemical oxidation and impacts on fouling mitigation. The results will provide fundamental guidelines as to the rational design of new-generation reactive membranes.