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