Carbon-Containing Membrane for Water and Gas Separation

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention relates to a novel membrane for separating gas, vapor, and liquid mixtures. The membrane contains a layer of thermally stabilized (preferably carbonized) polymerized catecholamines, such as polydopamine, which provides high mechanical and chemical stability, as well as precise molecular sieving capabilities. The membrane can be used alone or in combination with graphene oxide or graphene layers. It excels in selectively separating small molecules like hydrogen, helium, and water from mixtures, even under demanding conditions such as high temperature, pressure, and corrosive environments.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Industrial gas separation, especially hydrogen or helium recovery and purification
• Water removal from organic solvents (solvent dehydration/purification)
• Separation of water vapor from gas streams in chemical or petrochemical plants
• Separation or purification of industrial process gases (e.g., hydrogen/CO2 or hydrogen/methane mixtures)
• Environmental control applications, such as selective removal of water or specific gases from air or process streams
• Integration into membrane reactors or fuel cell systems for selective transport of hydrogen
• Pharmaceutical, food, or biotechnology processes needing precise solvent/water separations

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• High selectivity for very small molecules such as H2, He, and H2O due to uniform and tunable pore sizes
• Excellent mechanical, chemical, thermal, and hydrothermal stability—enabling use in harsh industrial environments
• Enhanced adhesion between membrane layers, reducing risk of delamination and defect formation
• Ability to form very thin, defect-free layers, improving separation performance and permeability
• Expandable to industrial scale, including robust tube-shaped membranes suitable for large plants
• Compatible with multiple membrane architectures (standalone, composite/mixed layers, tubular forms)
• Reduces energy consumption compared to conventional separation methods (distillation, adsorption)

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a new membrane for the separation of gas mixtures, vapor mixtures and liquid mixtures, the membrane comprising a layer of thermally stabilized (preferably carbonized) polymerized catecholamines, and to methods for producing membranes of this type and the use thereof as molecular sieve membranes.