In the early 80’s, we were the first academic program in the U.S. to work in the area of ceramic membranes. Pore size of these inorganic membranes can be as low as 5-8 ansgstroms. As such, we are in a position to produce nanofiltration membranes for both gases and liquids. While organic polymer membranes are less expensive, the superior flux and robust character of our membranes make them suitable for many niche applications. In addition, since we make these materials from a variety of oxides, the chemistry inside the pores of these materials can be altered for specific applications of interest.

While our current focus is on nanofiltration membranes that could practically serve in the purification of brackish or sea waters, it should also be noted that these ceramic membranes can be used in ceramic membrane reactor applications. These factors can be used for controlled chemistries such as for use in equilibrium limited reactions or tailored gas and liquid separations.