【Frontiers in HaiChuan Chemical Technology】Researchers have developed a new type of separation membrane that increases the efficiency of hydrogen purification by 10 times

Thread Content

A study led by the Institute of Materials Science in Madrid (ICMM-CSIC), which is part of the Spanish **Council for Scientific Research (CSIC)**, has designed and developed a new type of gas separation membrane. Compared to other commercial membranes used for hydrogen purification, its performance is nearly 10 times higher. This research achievement has been published in the top journal in the field of membranes, the Journal of Membrane Science. As hydrogen plays a key role in the energy and environmental transition, the industrial demand for pure hydrogen is continuing to rise. In this context, the most promising methods for air purification and gas separation are those based on membrane technology, as they are \"low in energy consumption, easy to operate, and capable of operating continuously,\" explained Eva Maya, a researcher at ICMM-CSIC and the leader of this study. The research team, which is composed mostly of female scientists, improved the commercial membranes based on polysulfone (a thermoplastic) by adding porous components: “We use these pores and the spaces between them to separate gas molecules, allowing smaller molecules to pass through,” continued the researcher. “This membrane must withstand the pressure of hydrogen while also having a certain degree of elasticity. Furthermore, it needs to be able to maintain high permeability while separating gases—that is, to allow the gas we aim to extract (hydrogen in this case) to pass through in large quantities,” explained the scientist. They achieved all these goals in the laboratory: “We increased the permeability of hydrogen by over 800%, while boosting the membrane’s selective separation capacity by about 30%,” said Maya happily. Furthermore, a highlight of this work is the formula chosen for manufacturing the porous components to be added to the membrane; it was developed using a new synthesis technique called \"mechanochemistry,\" which requires less energy and is more sustainable. “We can complete what traditionally takes three days of synthesis work in just three hours,” noted Eva Maya. Great potential in the petrochemical industry: Although the large-scale production of this product still needs further verification, this new compound holds great potential in the petrochemical industry, which is seeking new methods for hydrogen purification in order to obtain more of this key gas used for energy transition. “Our method is highly attractive for practical industrial applications, as it reduces the synthesis time of porous fillers and minimizes the use of toxic solvents, thereby greatly lowering the generation of hazardous waste,” concluded the researcher. References: Sara Izquierdo, Nayara Méndez-Gil, Mohammad Afsar Uddin, Berta Gómez-Lor, Mar López-González, Eva M. Maya. Hexamethyltruxene-based hyper-crosslinked porous polymers as fillers in polysulfone membranes for H2 separation. Journal of Membrane Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2026.125159 Source: https://fuelcellsworks.com/2026/04/26/fuel-cells/researchers-design-membrane-that-increases-hydrogen-purification-efficiency-10x