SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Project addresses the fabrication and characterization of unprecedented high performance and low cost ceramic membranes - Bendable Ceramic Nanowire Membranes. Membrane-based separation and filtration is a significant part of modern industries. Organic polymer membranes, due to their low manufacture cost and flexible feature, are dominating these markets. Ceramic membranes, despite their intrinsically superior properties, have not been widely adopted due to their high manufacture cost and rigid structures. In this program, Novarials will apply a novel fabrication strategy to make next-generation ceramic membranes based on high quality and low cost ceramic nanowires. These ceramic membranes (1) will be as bendable and flexible as polymer membranes so that they can be integrated into spiral wound systems to achieve high membrane packing density which is 5 to 10 times that of conventional ceramic membranes; (2) will be manufactured at low cost which is 10~20% of conventional ceramic membranes; (3) will be pure ceramic without organic additives, and thus pertain all the superior properties of ceramic materials; (4) will posses nanosized pore of 2 to 100nm in diameter for ultrafiltration where flexible glass fiber membranes failed. These ceramic nanowire membranes will be a disruptive technology in membrane industry. The unprecedented combination of many advantages of the ceramic membranes including flexibility and bendability, low manufacture cost, high stability to temperature, chemical inertness to acids, bases and chlorine, long operation life, as well as nanosized pores, will make them quickly penetrate into the current markets of conventional ceramic membranes. In addition, the ceramic membranes will be a strong competitor to current organic polymer membrane-dominated markets and a high potential candidate for new applications where conventional ceramic membranes failed due to high cost and where polymer membranes failed due to low stability. This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)

This SBIR Phase I project will develop bendable Ceramic Paper Membranes for various applications including oil and gas, automotive, food and beverage, biotech, and pharmaceutical. Bendable ceramic paper membranes possess ultrahigh packing density, excellent chemical and thermal stability, high filtration performance and low manufacture cost. Based on the success of the Phase I program, the Phase II project will fully develop and standardize Bendable Ceramic Membrane Technology and set up a foundation necessary for the large scale commercial manufacture of this innovative technology Bendable ceramic paper membrane technology will alter the landscape of membrane manufacturing by improving its economics, product performance, and breadth of applications. This will have a sweeping impact on dozens of industries that either currently rely on membrane technology or represent potential new markets for membranes as a result of this breakthrough. These industries include chemicals, gas and oil, automobiles, food, beverage, biotech, and pharmaceutics, and represent a global membrane separation market of potentially $15.1 billion by 2012. Further, given its potential applications in waste treatment, environmental protection, and green energy conversion and storage, this new membrane technology will have additional far-reaching societal benefits