Researchers develop highly efficient hybrid nanoporous membrane to dehydrate biofuels; could replace distillation process
Scientists of the University of Twente in The Netherlands have developed a new hybrid organic–inorganic nanoporous membrane with unprecedented hydrothermal stability, enabling long-term application in energy-efficient molecular separation, including dehydration up to at least 150°C. The ‘molecular sieve’ is capable of removing water out of solvents and biofuels and is a very energy efficient alternative to existing techniques like distillation. The scientists, who cooperated with colleagues from the Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) and the University of Amsterdam, present their invention as an open access article in this week's Chemical Communications of the UK's Royal Society of Chemistry.
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: ethanol :: biobutanol :: distillation :: dehydration :: efficiency :: molecular sieve :: nanotechnology ::
The hybrid membranes are suitable for ‘drying’ solvents and biofuels, an application for which there is a large potential market worldwide. The main advantage of membrane technology is that it consumes far less energy than common distillation techniques. The scientists also foresee opportunities in separating hydrogen gas from gas mixtures. This implies a broad range of applications in sustainable energy. Apart from that, the hybrid membranes are suitable for desalinating water. Using a hybrid membrane that is much smaller than the current polymer membranes, the same result can be achieved
The results have been achieved in a close cooperation of scientists from the Inorganic Materials Science Group of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology (UT), the Energy Efficiency in Industry department of ECN and the University of Amsterdam. The invention has been patented worldwide.
Schematic: the cylinder is the carrier of a hybrid membrane: a layer of about 100 nanometer thickness. The insert shows a close-up of the layer showing the organic links and pores. From the left of the tube, only water molecules leave the sieve. Credit: University of Twente.
References:
Hessel Castricum, Ashima Sah, Robert Kreiter, Dave Blank, Jaap Vente and André ten Elshof, "‘Hybrid ceramic nanosieves: stabilizing nanopores with organic links", Chemical Communications, 2008, DOI: 10.1039/b718082a
University of Twente: Nanosieve saves energy in biofuel production - February 7, 2008.
Devising more efficient processes to reduce energy consumption is one of the prime challenges of the 21st century. A promising strategy is to apply nanostructured membranes to sieve mixtures of molecules of different sizes. Membranes can be applied in energy-efficient separation of biomass fuel and hydrogen, dehydration of condensation reactions, and breaking of azeotropic mixtures during distillation. - Hessel Castricum, lead authorAfter testing during 18 months, the new 100 nanometer thick membranes, embedded in a cylinder (schematic, click to enlarge), prove to be highly effective, while having continuously been exposed to a temperature of 150 ºC. Existing ceramic and polymer membranes will last considerably shorter periods of time, when exposed to the combination of water and high temperatures. The scientists managed to do this using a new ‘hybrid’ type of material combining the best of both worlds of polymer and ceramic membranes. The result is a membrane with pores sufficiently small to let only the smallest molecules pass through.
We have designed a new nanoporous hybrid material with high hydrothermal stability. It combines high selectivity and permeability when applied in a molecular separation membrane. By incorporating organic Si–CxHy–Si links into an inorganic network, we have complemented the high thermal and solvent stability of Si–O–Si bonds with a high hydrothermal stability. We expect that this finding will have a considerable impact on separation technology as it can effect practical application with greatly reduced energy consumption. - Hessel CastricumCeramic membranes, made of silica, degrade because they react with water and steam. In the new membrane, part of the ceramic links is therefore replaced by organic links. By doing this, water doesn’t have the chance to ‘attack’ the membranes. Manufacturing the new hybrid membranes is simpler than that of ceramic membranes, because the material is flexible and will not show cracks. What they have in common with ceramic membranes is the rapid flow: an advantage of this is that the membrane surface can be kept small:
energy :: sustainability :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: ethanol :: biobutanol :: distillation :: dehydration :: efficiency :: molecular sieve :: nanotechnology ::
The hybrid membranes are suitable for ‘drying’ solvents and biofuels, an application for which there is a large potential market worldwide. The main advantage of membrane technology is that it consumes far less energy than common distillation techniques. The scientists also foresee opportunities in separating hydrogen gas from gas mixtures. This implies a broad range of applications in sustainable energy. Apart from that, the hybrid membranes are suitable for desalinating water. Using a hybrid membrane that is much smaller than the current polymer membranes, the same result can be achieved
The results have been achieved in a close cooperation of scientists from the Inorganic Materials Science Group of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology (UT), the Energy Efficiency in Industry department of ECN and the University of Amsterdam. The invention has been patented worldwide.
Schematic: the cylinder is the carrier of a hybrid membrane: a layer of about 100 nanometer thickness. The insert shows a close-up of the layer showing the organic links and pores. From the left of the tube, only water molecules leave the sieve. Credit: University of Twente.
References:
Hessel Castricum, Ashima Sah, Robert Kreiter, Dave Blank, Jaap Vente and André ten Elshof, "‘Hybrid ceramic nanosieves: stabilizing nanopores with organic links", Chemical Communications, 2008, DOI: 10.1039/b718082a
University of Twente: Nanosieve saves energy in biofuel production - February 7, 2008.
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