TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: PBI High-Temperature Hollow Fiber Membranes

The Los Alamos National Laboratory is offering a technology licensing opportunity for PBI High-Temperature Hollow Fiber Membranes. This technology provides a practical way to improve separation efficiency in process environments where standard polymer membranes often lose performance or durability. The platform combines high-temperature operation, chemical resistance, and compact hollow-fiber design in a membrane system that can help users recover hydrogen, separate carbon dioxide, and process difficult liquid streams with lower energy demand and a smaller equipment footprint than many conventional approaches. • The technology is well-suited for organizations seeking stronger performance in demanding energy, chemical, and water treatment settings. • The membrane works like a selective gate built into a very small hollow strand, allowing some molecules to pass through more readily than others. • The technology has been tested in relevant operating environments and has shown stable performance over 40 days. • The membranes can operate up to about 400 °C and are suitable for gas, vapor, and liquid separations, including hydrogen purification, carbon capture, brine treatment, and organic solvent separations. • The technology has several advantages, including operating at temperatures that are too demanding for many conventional polymer membranes, resisting harsh chemical exposure, and enabling a smaller equipment footprint.