New membrane technology for carbon capture

Cost-effective capture of CO₂ from biogas plants and industry

With support from CLIMIT R&D, the technology company CondAlign, in partnership with researchers from SINTEF and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), has developed a membrane technology that will contribute to cost-effective capture of CO₂ from biogas plants and industry.

These new membranes can filter out selected substances and are therefore an energy-efficient way of separating gases, including CO₂. The challenge with the membranes that have been available on the market to date is that their performance is too low and the cost too high for the technology to be commercially viable. Using nanoparticles and electricity, the research team has managed to improve CondAlign’s unique technology in a way that makes it highly relevant for gas separation and CO₂ capture.

Innovative membrane production

An interdisciplinary team, consisting of 15 researchers and product developers from SINTEF, NTNU and CondAlign, has managed to develop a new way of manufacturing polymer membranes. Basically, tiny particles and electric fields have been used to manipulate the position and orientation of nanoparticles in the membrane, proving very beneficial for the separation of gases. Organising the particles into a specific pattern makes the use of nanoparticles more cost-effective and improves the properties of the membrane.

This innovative technology is part of CondAlign’s commitment to developing new applications for CondAlign’s unique technology. The technology was originally the result of basic research at the Institute for Energy Technology (IFE) in Oslo. The underlying technology is currently used to align thermally or electrically conductive particles through a 10–100μm thick polymer film – CondAlign’s “through-plane” technology. These polymer films can be produced relatively cost-effectively on an industrial roll-to-roll machine at CondAlign. The innovation has been implemented, among other things, in a new type of ECG electrode, combining 3D electronics and smart labels.

Patenting the process

Back in 2019, CondAlign filed two applications for patents to protect their intellectual property rights, based on the promising results from the unique process achieved in the laboratory. One patent has already been granted in Norway, and a decision on the international application is expected by the end of the year.

“As an innovation project for the industrial sector (IPN), MembrAlign’s focus has been on sustainable value creation and making this new knowledge and the solutions readily available,” says Linn Cecilie Sørvik, Head of Product Development at CondAlign.

“During the four years of research and testing, we met four of the five goals that were originally set for the project. The results have demonstrated Proof of Concept of the ability to align nanoparticles in-plane in a nano-thin polymer film. These are unique, internationally ground-breaking research results.”

In this context, she points out that experiments with the new membrane production method can increase CO₂ transport by an average of 34% without affecting the CO₂/N₂ selectivity.

More flexible – less energy-intensive

Used in the capture of CO₂, this technology can provide solutions that are more flexible and less energy-intensive than, for example, the current amine technology. Put simply, the nanoparticles are organised to influence how CO₂ from flue gas is transported through the membrane. The position and orientation of the nanoparticles create an efficient filter that ensures that the gas to be separated out passes through the membrane quickly, while the other gases meet more resistance. The method involves exposing the membrane to a powerful electric field, which makes the alignment (i.e. arrangement of the particles into the special filter pattern) possible. It is this process that forms the basis of CondAlign’s patent applications.

Ideal for small-scale installations

“The knowledge gained from the Climit project is important for ongoing product development and is also part of CondAlign’s technology roadmap. The innovation provides a good basis for future production of membranes using the technology we have developed for gas separation.  These membranes are ideal for use in small-scale installations in industry, agriculture, waste facilities and biorefineries. Polymer membranes are attractive because they have a smaller footprint and do not require the use of harmful chemicals,” Sørvik points out.

Excellent results

The MembrAlign project has focused on removing CO₂ from flue gas, but the technology may also be relevant in pre-combustion, or removal of CO₂ from natural gas, or biogas.

“The MembrAlign project has been a success because, by combining expertise from different research environments and working in a structured way towards common goals, we have managed to achieve excellent results,” says Åse Slagtern, special advisor at CLIMIT R&D. “We are convinced that the technology developed in this project will be important in the work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”