2025 AIChE Annual Meeting

(629g) Thin Film Composite Polymer and Polymer-MOF Mixed Matrix Membranes for Carbon Capture

Author

Sui Zhang - Presenter, National University of Singapore
Membranes offer an efficient and cost-effective method for separating CO2 from flue gases and industrial emissions. Unlike traditional methods such as amine scrubbing, membrane-based carbon capture is energy-efficient, scalable, and environmentally friendly. Moreover, membranes can be tailored to specific applications, making them versatile for various industries. They facilitate the transition towards a low-carbon economy by enabling the purification of energy sources such as hydrogen and natural gas, and the reduction of CO2 emissions from power plants, industrial processes, and other sources. Nonetheless, current membranes are subjected to the permeance-selectivity tradeoff which lowers the economical values of the process.

Membrane permeance is governed by the intrinsic permeability of the material and the thickness of the selective layer. In this presentation, we will introduce our efforts in advancing polymeric and mixed matrix membrane membranes for carbon capture by addressing the challenges of both materials and thin film coating. To enhance the intrinsic separation performances, new polymers and polymer-MOF mixture were prepared. Furthermore, coating techniques were developed to enable sub-100 nm coating on flat sheet and hollow fiber membranes. The membranes demonstrated impressive permeance and selectivity, and improved stability at higher temperatures (~ 3000 GPU of CO2 permeance, > 25 selectivity at 60 degree Celcius) .