W.S. Winston Ho, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, 125A Koffolt Labs, 140 West 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1180, Henk Verweij, The Ohio State University, 2041 College Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1178, and He Bai, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Ohio State University, 125A Koffolt Labs, 140 West 19th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1180.
Membrane applications include gas separation, water purification and fuel cell electrolytes. H2 purification may occur directly with inorganic micro-porous membranes, and indirectly with a CO2-selective polymer membrane. Water purification is achieved with a solution-diffusion mechanism in dense polymer membranes, or highly permeable mesoporous membranes that show space charge selectivity. Polymer electrolytes with –SO3H groups offer a cost-effective approach for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. Zirconia, Zeolite L and Y membranes with optimum layer formation conditions offer promise for fuel cell and separation applications.