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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Polymeric membranes for separation of gases

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a gas permeable support layer, optionally an inorganic layer disposed on the support, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the inorganic layer. In some cases, the selective polymer layer can comprise an amine-containing polymer and an amino acid salt dispersed within the amine-containing polymer. In other cases, the selective polymer layer comprises a sterically hindered amine-containing polymer, such as a sterically hindered derivative of polyvinylamine. The membranes can be used, for example, to separate gaseous mixtures, such as flue gas.

Ho, W.S. Winston↗
DOE OSTI2022

Composite membranes for separation of gases

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a gas permeable support layer, an inorganic layer disposed on the support, the inorganic layer comprising a plurality of discreet nanoparticles having an average particle size of less than 1 micron, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the inorganic layer, the selective polymer layer comprising a selective polymer having a CO2:N2 selectivity of at least 10 at 57° C. In some embodiments, the membrane can be selectively permeable to an acidic gas. The membranes can be used, for example, to separate gaseous mixtures, such as flue gas.

Ho, W. S. Winston↗
DOE OSTI2020

Isotope separation methods and systems

Methods and systems for the separation of isotopes from an aqueous stream are described as can be utilized in one embodiment to remove and recover tritium from contaminated water. Methods include counter-current flow of an aqueous stream on either side of a separation membrane. The separation membrane includes an isotope selective layer (e.g., graphene) and an ion conductive supporting layer (e.g., Nafion®). An electronic driving force encourages passage of isotopes selectively across the membrane to enrich the flow in the isotopes.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Electrically Driven Ion Separations in Permeable Membranes

Ion separations are critical for producing materials such as Li and rare-earth element salts that are essential for applications including energy storage and production. This research aimed to develop and understand separations of singly and multiply charged ions as well as separations among different singly charged ions such as Li + and Na + . Thin layers of polyelectrolytes on membranes allow passage of singly charged ions at rates 1000 times faster than those for multiply charged ions. This allows purification of mixtures with equal concentrations of Li + and Mg 2+ to create a permeate solution with >99% Li + . Such membranes may also effectively isolate rare earth elements. To separate Li + and K + , this work developed opposing flow and current in membranes. The current overcomes the flow of K + to allow Li + to selectively pass through the membrane, leading to Li + /K + selectivities around 70. All of the research employs modelling to better understand the mechanism of these separations, which includes transport driven by gradients in electrical potential, concentration, and pressure. The interplay of these driving forces can create highly selective separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Zeolite membranes, molecular separation methods, and manufacturing processes for zeolite membranes

Disclosed are methods of manufacturing a zeolite membrane, comprising: providing at least one porous substrate; and coating the at least one porous substrate with a membrane. In some embodiments, the method further comprises hydrothermally treating the membrane with a first hydrothermal treatment step with tetrapropylammonium fluoride (TPAF) and a second hydrothermal treatment step with tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH). In some embodiments, coating the substrate with a membrane comprises surrounding at least a portion of the at least one porous substrate with a precursor gel, the gel comprising a gel phase and a plurality of CHA or MFI crystals; heating the at least one porous substrate and the precursor gel; washing the at least one porous substrate; drying the at least one porous substrate; and calcining the at least one porous substrate.

Nair, Sankar↗
DOE OSTI2025

Structural dissection of ergosterol metabolism reveals a pathway optimized for membrane phase separation

Sterols are among the most abundant lipids in eukaryotic cells yet are synthesized through notoriously long metabolic pathways. It has been proposed that the molecular evolution of such pathways must have required each step to increase the capacity of its product to condense and order phospholipids. Here, we carry out a systematic analysis of the ergosterol pathway that leverages the yeast vacuole’s capacity to phase separate into ordered membrane domains. In the post-synthetic steps specific to ergosterol biosynthesis, we find that successive modifications act to oscillate ordering capacity, settling on a level that supports phase separation while retaining fluidity of the resulting domains. Simulations carried out with each intermediate showed how conformers in the sterol’s alkyl tail are capable of modulating long-range ordering of phospholipids, which could underlie changes in phase behavior. Our results indicate that the complexity of sterol metabolism could have resulted from the need to balance lipid interactions required for membrane organization.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Pyrazine-Fused Porous Graphitic Framework-Based Mixed Matrix Membranes for Enhanced Gas Separations

Membrane-based separations can mitigate the capital- and energy-intensive challenges associated with traditional thermally driven processes. To further push the boundary of gas separations, mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have been extensively exploited; however, identifying an optimal nanofiller to boost the separation performance of MMMs beyond Robeson permeability-selectivity upper bounds remains an ongoing challenge. In this study, a new class of MMMs based on pyrazine-fused crystalline porous graphitic frameworks (PGFs) is reported. At a loading of 6 wt % PGFs, the MMMs surpass the current H 2 /CH 4 Robeson upper bound, ideally suited for applications such as H 2 regeneration. In addition, the fabricated MMMs exhibit appealing CO 2 separation performance, closely approaching the current Robeson upper bounds for CO 2 separation. Compared with the pristine polymeric membranes, the PGF-based MMMs display a record-high enhancement of gas permeability over 120% while maintaining intrinsic gas selectivities. Highlighting the crucial role of the crystallinity of nanofillers, this study demonstrates a facile and effective approach in formulating high-performance MMMs, complementing state-of-the-art membrane formation processes. The design principles open the door to energy-efficient separations of gas mixtures with enhanced productivity compatible with the current membrane manufacturing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Amantadine interactions with phase separated lipid membranes

Amantadine, a small amphilphic organic compound that consists of an adamantane backbone and an amino group, was first recognized as an antiviral in 1963 and received approval for prophylaxis against the type A influenza virus in 1976. Since then, it has also been used to treat Parkinson’s disease-related dyskinesia and is being considered as a treatment for corona viruses. Since amantadine usually targets membrane-bound proteins, its interactions with the membrane are also thought to be important. Biological membranes are now widely understood to be laterally heterogeneous and certain proteins are known to preferentially co-localize within specific lipid domains. Does amantadine, therefore, preferentially localize in certain lipid composition domains? To address this question, here, we studied amantadine’s interactions with phase separating membranes composed of cholesterol, DSPC (1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine), and DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine), as well as single-phase DPhPC (1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phos-phocholine) membranes. From Langmuir trough and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements, we determined, respectively, that amantadine preferentially binds to disordered lipids, such as POPC, and lowers the phase transition temperature of POPC/DSPC/cholesterol mixtures, implying that amantadine increases membrane disorder. Further, using droplet interface bilayers (DIBs), we observed that amantadine disrupts DPhPC membranes, consistent with its disordering properties. Finally, we carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on POPC/DSPC/cholesterol membranes with varying amounts of amantadine. Consistent with experiment, MD simulations showed that amantadine prefers to associate with disordered POPC-rich domains, domain boundaries, and lipid glycerol backbones. Since different proteins co-localize with different lipid domains, our results have possible implications as to which classes of proteins may be better targets for amantadine.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Na + -gated water-conducting nanochannels for boosting CO 2 conversion to liquid fuels

Robust, gas-impeding water-conduction nanochannels that can sieve water from small gas molecules such as hydrogen (H 2 ), particularly at high temperature and pressure, are desirable for boosting many important reactions severely restricted by water (the major by-product) both thermodynamically and kinetically. Identifying and constructing such nanochannels into large-area separation membranes without introducing extra defects is challenging. We found that sodium ion (Na + )–gated water-conduction nanochannels could be created by assembling NaA zeolite crystals into a continuous, defect-free separation membrane through a rationally designed method. Highly efficient in situ water removal through water-conduction nanochannels led to a substantial increase in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) conversion and methanol yield in CO 2 hydrogenation for methanol production.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Selective partitioning and uphill transport enable effective Li/Mg ion separation by negatively charged membranes

Efficient separation of lithium (Li + ) and magnesium (Mg 2+ ) is critical for enhancing sustainable lithium extraction from natural brines, which is vital for battery production and renewable energy technologies. Here we present a method for highly selective Li + /Mg 2+ separation driven by concentration gradients across negatively charged membranes with high charge densities. In contrast to typical electric field-driven transport in negatively charged membranes, where divalent cations generally permeate faster than monovalent cations, Li + ions in our system permeate the membrane at substantially higher rates than Mg 2+ ions. This unexpected selectivity stems from the selective ion partitioning properties of the membrane and the uphill transport of Mg 2+ ions against their external concentration gradient. We demonstrate the efficacy of this separation approach through bench-scale dialysis experiments using a model Atacama brine solution, achieving efficient separation of monovalent and divalent cations. As a result, the high separation efficiency observed in this study suggests a promising approach for monovalent/divalent ion separations, offering higher selectivity compared to current technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Pentiptycene-based ladder polymers with configurational free volume for enhanced gas separation performance and physical aging resistance

Significance Gas separation membranes are an emerging energy-efficient alternative toward conventional, energy-intensive separation technologies such as cryogenic distillation. Ladder polymers with intrinsic microporosity show exceptional promise toward redefining state-of-the-art gas separation membranes due to their high permeability (throughput) and selectivity (separation efficiency). However, they are typically inhibited by major reductions in permeability over time due to collapsing membrane free volume (open space between polymer chains), forfeiting their greatest asset. This work explores a route toward enhanced aging resistance and overall separation performance by incorporating pentiptycene (an H-shaped scaffold containing five fused arene rings) into ladder-like polymers to incorporate natural, more permanent “micropores” that aren’t susceptible to densification of polymer chains that occurs over time in traditional microporous polymers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Visible-Light-Activated Photocatalytic Films toward Self-Cleaning Membranes

Membranes are among the most promising means of delivering increased supplies of fit-for-purpose water, but membrane fouling remains a critical issue restricting their widespread application. Coupling photocatalysis with membrane separation has been proposed as a potentially effective approach to reduce membrane fouling. However, commonly used materials in photocatalysis limit use of low-cost sources such as sunlight due to their large band gaps. There are few examples of in situ photocatalytic self-cleaning of membranes, with removal from the filtration system and ex situ illumination being more common. In this study, a visible-light-activated photocatalytic film prepared by nitrogen doping into the lattice of TiO 2 was deposited on commercial ceramic membranes via atomic layer deposition (ALD). The synergy between membrane separation and redox reactions between organic pollutants and reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the visible-light-activated layer offers a possibility for stable and sustainable membrane operation under in situ solar irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Crosslinked Matrimid®-like polyimide membranes with unimodal network structure for enhanced stability and gas separation performance

Gas separation membranes have attracted academic and industrial attention, and crosslinking has been identified to be one of the most effective ways to enhance membrane stability. In this paper, a series of crosslinked Matrimid®-like films with unimodal network structures are prepared via thermally end-linking phenylethnyl-terminated BTDA-DAPI oligomers with well-controlled molecular weight (i.e., 3000–15,000 g/mol), wherein the crosslink density (the inter-crosslink chain length) of resulting unimodal networks is systematically varied by using oligomers with various molecular weight. Comprehensive characterizations of chemical structure, thermal properties, microstructures are performed. Pure-gas permeation measurements are performed focusing on H 2 /CH 4 and CO 2 /CH 4 separations as a function of crosslink density. In sharp contrast to the commonly observed permeability reduction in randomly crosslinked networks, all the crosslinked unimodal films, even when densely crosslinked, present markedly enhanced permeability and well-maintained ideal selectivity relative to the uncrosslinked linear counterpart, leading to almost horizontal movements towards upper bounds along with expectedly enhanced membrane stability. In conclusion, it is concluded that introducing bulky groups at the crosslink sites provide a practical means to counteract the densification effect induced by crosslinking and the construction of unimodal networks exemplifies a fundamentally new strategy to regulate the microstructure and property of crosslinked membranes for gas separations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Creation of Polymer Datasets with Targeted Backbones for Screening of High-Performance Membranes for Gas Separation

A simple approach was developed to computationally construct a polymer dataset by combining simplified molecular-input line-entry system (SMILES) strings of a targeted polymer backbone and a variety of molecular fragments. This method was used to create 14 polymer datasets by combining seven polymer backbones and molecules from two large molecular datasets (MOSES and QM9). Polymer backbones that were studied include four polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based backbones, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(allyl glycidyl ether) (PAGE), and polyphosphazene (PPZ). The generated polymer datasets can be used for various cheminformatics tasks, including high-throughput screening for gas permeability and selectivity. This study utilized machine learning (ML) models to screen the polymers for CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 gas separation using membranes. Several polymers of interest were identified. Here the results highlight that employing an ML model fitted to polymer selectivities leads to higher accuracy in predicting polymer selectivity compared to using the ratio of predicted permeabilities.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Pushing the limits of size selectivity in nanoscale solute separations

Transport of a spherical solute through a cylindrical pore has been modelled for decades using well-established hindered transport theory, predicting solutes with a size smaller than the pore to be rejected nonetheless because of convective and diffusive hindrance; this rejection mechanism prevents extremely sharp solute separations by a membrane. Whereas the model has been historically verified, solute transport through near-perfect isoporous membranes may finally overcome this limitation. Here, in this study, encouraging solute rejections are achieved using nanofabricated, defect-free silicon nitride isoporous membranes. The membrane is challenged by a recirculated feed to increase the opportunity for interactions between solutes and the pore array. Results show the membrane completely reject solutes with greater size than the pore size while effectively allowing smaller solutes to permeate through. With effectively increasing the number of interactions, we propose that a steeper size-selective rejection curve may be achieved. With this traditional hurdle overcome, there is new promise for unprecedented membrane separations through judicious process design and extremely tight pore-size distributions.

Gao, Feng↗
DOE OSTI2022

Demo-scale testing of a hybrid membrane-sorbent system for post-combustion CO2 capture

TDA Research is developing a novel hybrid membrane-sorbent system for the post-combustion capture of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) from supercritical pulverized coal (PC) power generation facilities or large point industrial emitters. Here, the novel design incorporates a 1st-stage continuous membrane separator developed by Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (MTR) with a dual-bed radial-flow sorbent contactor (designed and developed at TDA). Testing of a pilot unit at 1 MWe scale has been conducted at the site for emerging technologies at the Technology Centre Mongstad (TCM) in Mongstad, Norway using residue fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) flue gas from Equinor’s Mongstad refinery.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Strategies for using membrane-based separations to extract critical metals from waste streams

Critical metals are currently extracted by mining followed by their purification. These processes are costly and not environmentally very desirable. In this perspective paper we discuss the potential of extracting these critical metals from a range waste-streams available in abundance globally. These waste streams include brine from desalination plants, effluents from oil drilling and hydraulic fracturing, as well as discharges from various industrial processes such as metal finishing, electroplating, mining, and chemical manufacturing. We show that with a range of new separation processes being developed their separation is showing potential of being both technologically and economically feasible. We also show how high performance computing can be combined with computational models to screen and accelerate the development of new technologies for extracting critical metals from waste streams.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗