Jeff Elam, Argonne // Advanced Membrane Functionalization
The performance of membranes is determined in large part by the surface properties of the material, especially along the pore walls. Commercial membranes are manufactured from a relatively limited set of polymer materials, which provide a limited set of interfacial properties. Most of these polymers are hydrophobic, which makes them prone to fouling, especially in challenging separations such as oil/water. Fouling of membranes during industrial separations necessitates periodic cleaning with sparging or harsh chemicals (many of which degrade the structural integrity of the membrane), and ultimately replacement of the membranes. Most approaches to coating membranes to endow them with fouling resistance result in pore blockage due to non-conformal deposition.
Argonne uses conformal interface modification techniques such as atomic layer deposition (ALD) to modify the membrane surface properties without constricting the pores. Using these techniques, we can transform existing commercial polymer membranes into hydrophilic ones that passively resist the attachment of foulants, enabling substantially extended operational lifetime between cleanings as well as easier cleaning. For even more challenging fouling environments, ALD coatings can be rendered catalytically active so that reactive oxygen species can be formed at the pore walls in operando, degrading and detaching any foulants that may adhere.
ALD also has the ability to create gradient coatings along the pore lengths, producing so-called Janus membranes with different properties on their two sides. These membranes can exhibit transport properties impossible to achieve using traditional membranes, such as unidirectional transport of ions.
Learn more: bit.ly/47mtLBs
// This technology was featured in the License to Innovate event - a showcase of select IP and research capabilities at the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
More information: bit.ly/SeparationsBooklet
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