New membrane design could help reduce energy use in industrial gas separation

Summary

Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in collaboration with academic partners in China and France, have developed a new membrane technology for industrial gas separation. This innovation uses metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and a novel architecture to allow membranes to contain over 90% MOF material while remaining flexible and compatible with industrial manufacturing. The team successfully produced 20-meter continuous membrane rolls, demonstrating scalability for applications such as carbon capture, hydrogen purification, and propylene purification. Why it matters: This breakthrough provides a practical pathway for industrial-scale deployment of advanced membrane technologies, potentially reducing global energy consumption for gas separation processes.