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Improved Precursors for Oxygen-Selective Membranes in Practical Devices for Methane Conversion--CeraMem Corporation, 12 Clematis Avenue, Waltham, MA 02154-7011; 781-899-4495
Dr. Richard Higgins, Principal Investigator
Dr. Robert L. Goldsmith, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-99ER82761
Amount: $100,000
Liquid transportation fuels derived from natural gas have great potential to supplement or replace fuels derived from imported petroleum. Conversion of natural gas to these fuels is not currently cost-effective, but recent laboratory developments involving use of oxygen-permeating ceramic membrane reactors clearly show the possibility of making natural gas conversion economic. However, improved materials and device fabrication methods are required to scale up such reactors. This project will demonstrate a cost-effective method of synthesizing improved precursors for the oxygen-permeating materials used in state-of-the-art ceramic membrane reactors for natural gas conversion. In Phase I, synthesis of the improved precursor materials on a bench scale will be performed. These materials will be processed to form small membrane samples and selected critical performance characteristics of these membranes will be demonstrated.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The availability of these materials would facilitate the fabrication and scale-up of ceramic membrane reactors for natural gas conversion. Other applications include the partial oxidation of low-value hydrocarbons to high-value products, oxidative gas clean-up processes, and high-temperature oxygen separation.