Smart gate membranes for highly selective removal of carbon dioxide from combustion gases

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Non-technical Abstract:This project focuses on the development of fundamental science enabling fabrication of porous membranes for N2/CO2 separation with high selectivity and significant fluxes. High selectivity is achieved by inducing different molecular transport mechanisms for different components in a gas mixture. This research has a transformative impact because no microporous membranes have been demonstrated so far where selectivity is achieved by inducing different transport mechanisms for different components inside a membrane. The gas transport mechanisms on microscopic length scales will be monitored by a unique nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique. The separation approach developed in this project can be easily adapted for other industrially important gas separations using the same membrane. Technical Abstract:The objective of this project is to develop structure-property relationships that will enable the fabrication of microporous membranes for N2/CO2 separation with high selectivity, which are achieved by selective induction of single-file diffusion to N2 molecules. The research effort is split between the following tasks: (1) fabrication of membrane supports with nanopore diameters below 5 nm and (2) characterization of the diffusion properties of gas mixtures in these membranes. Application of a unique diffusion NMR technique enables distinguishing between different diffusion mechanisms for different gas components inside the membrane on the microscopic length scales. Successful completion of the proposed research affords a transformative membrane-based technology to separate CO2 from combustion gas mixtures. The research plan is integrated with a recruitment program and supervised research for undergraduate students, especially students from the underrepresented groups, as well as mentoring and outreach. The students will be trained to use a unique diffusion NMR technique at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.