Nanoscale carbon membranes for separation tasks for the realisation of pollutant-free resource efficiency
Development of separation processes for complex industrial applications
Many separation processes in industrial practice are carried out with membranes under extreme conditions such as high temperatures or in corrosive environments. The materials used must be chemically and thermally robust. This is currently not the case with commercially available membranes, or only to a limited extent, as they are often made of polymers. Polymers are long-chain molecules that are made up of smaller repeating units. Plastics are an example of this. Although polymer membranes are chemically stable, their use at high temperatures is limited. At high temperatures, alternative membrane materials such as ceramics or carbon modifications must therefore be used. Carbon modifications are structural forms or arrangements of carbon atoms that occur both naturally and can be produced artificially, such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. In order to be used as membranes, the carbon modifications require a stable support structure that can withstand the extreme conditions. This support structure forms the scaffold on which the membrane is built and stabilises it.
The aim of the NanoKoM project is to demonstrate the usability of nanostructured carbon membranes for the separation of easily liquefiable substances under challenging process conditions. The aim is to develop an inorganic carrier structure that is chemically and thermally stable and serves as the basis for uniform, thin-walled layers of nanostructured carbon. The carbon membranes are to be optimised so that they can selectively separate water from other substances under extreme conditions.
The project will make a significant contribution to future-oriented separation processes by taking into account processing aspects as well as economic and ecological issues. It is an integral part of the development of material innovations that contribute to the reduction of emissions and improve resource efficiency in industrial applications.
