STTR Phase I: Three Dimensional (3D) Printed Mixed Matrix Membranes for Biogas Upgrading

这个小型企业技术转让(STTR)第一阶段项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是降低沼气升级的新膜制造技术的风险。可再生天然气(RNG)是一种很有吸引力的碳中性能源，因为它是从食物垃圾、农业垃圾和城市生物固体等有机废物中提取的。RNG是沼气的一部分，需要从二氧化碳中经济高效地分离出来。该公司开发了一种添加剂制造技术，可以制造高性能的膜，从而实现低成本的沼气升级。与生产RNG的更传统的分离技术相比，这些膜提供了能量和系统设计优势。膜印刷方法可能导致生产一流的RNG膜，并能够从沼气来源捕获和利用碳。这个小型企业技术转移(STTR)第一阶段项目旨在展示由聚醚嵌段酰胺聚合物和ZIF8沸石组成的混合基质膜(MMM)的生产。该方法使用基于电喷雾的添加剂制造来精确控制膜厚度和沸石负载量，允许定制用于沼气升级的膜特性。此外，添加剂制造或印刷方法能够比传统铸造技术增加沸石的负载量，而不会形成会降低选择性的缺陷。该项目的目标包括量化最大沸石负载量，同时避免选择性损失。该公司将生产面积高达1英尺2的小薄膜叶片，并使用混合气体测试在整个叶片上展示一致的性能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact /commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to derisk a new membrane manufacturing technology for biogas upgrading. Renewable natural gas (RNG) is attractive as a carbon neutral energy source as it is derived from organic wastes such as food waste, agricultural waste, and municipal biosolids. RNG is part of biogas and requires cost- and energy-effective separation from carbon dioxide. The company has developed an additive manufacturing technology that enables the fabrication of high performance membranes to enable lower cost biogas upgrading. These membranes offer energy and system design benefits over more traditional separations technologies for the production of RNG. The membrane printing approach may lead to the production of best-in-class membranes for RNG production and could enable carbon capture and utilization from biogas sources.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to demonstrate the production of mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) comprised of polyether block amide polymer and zif8 zeolite. The proposed method uses electrospray based additive manufacturing to precisely control membrane thickness and zeolite loading, allowing customized membrane properties for biogas upgrading. Furthermore, the additive manufacturing, or printing, method enables increased loading of the zeolite over conventional casting techniques without the formation of defects that would lessen selectivity. The goals of the project include quantification of the maximum zeolite loading while avoiding loss of selectivity. The company will produce small membrane leaves up to 1 ft2 in area and demonstrate consistent performance across the leaf using mixed gas testing.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.