Thermally stable hybrid membrane for industrial gas separation
This technology is a specialized membrane made by fusing organic chemistry with inorganic materials — specifically, a silica-based porous layer infused with organic chemical groups and deposited onto an alumina support using chemical vapor deposition. The resulting membrane acts as a molecular sieve, allowing certain gases to pass through while blocking others based on their size and chemistry. The fabrication process gives manufacturers control over pore structure and selectivity by varying the organic components and layering configurations. This enables more efficient separation of gases like CO2, hydrogen, or natural gas components than conventional polymer membranes, particularly at elevated temperatures where polymers fail.
What you could build
A high-performance membrane module for industrial gas separation — such as carbon capture at power plants, hydrogen purification for fuel cells, or natural gas sweetening — sold to energy companies and industrial gas producers who need thermally stable, high-selectivity separation at scale.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based energy companies, Department of Energy contractors at national labs, and defense-adjacent industrial gas suppliers (e.g., at Newport News or Portsmouth facilities) would have operational interest in high-temperature gas separation membranes.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Shigeo Ted Oyama, Yunfeng Gu, Joe D. Allison, Garry C. Gunter, Scott A. Scholten
- Granted
- May 10, 2011
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 7938894
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.