This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project focuses on the separation of light hydrocarbon mixtures by pervaporation. Chemically and mechanically robust composite membranes have been made; these membranes showed good selectivities and fluxes when tested with propylene/propane mixtures. In the proposed project a range of related membranes will be evaluated with three target light hydrocarbon mixtures: propylene/propane, n-butane/isobutane and toluene/n-octane. These close-boiling mixtures are produced on a very large scale in petrochemical plants and refineries and are expensive to separate by distillation. Based on the Phase I membrane performance results, a preliminary economic and technical analysis will be prepared. The most promising membrane and application will be targeted for the focus of the Phase II project and for commercialization activities.
Potential Commercial Applications of the research separation of close-boiling light hydrocarbon mixtures, such as propylene from propane, is performed on a massive scale in the petrochemical and refining industries. Lower-cost, more energy-efficient membrane-based separation technology would be widely adopted.
