Metal-Organic Framework Adsorbents for Fuel Cell - Relevant Small Molecules

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project seeks to develop and commercialize novel ceramic membrane-absorbers for hydrogen purification in fuel processing systems associated with polymer electrolyte fuel cells. Our innovation is based on integration of novel highly efficient reversible adsorbents, based on a metal organic framework, that are incorporated into monodisperse ceramic membranes. Commercially available adsorbents, due to the low adsorbing capacity per unit volume, have limited practical application in the fuel processing systems of fuel cells, especially if compactness and lightweight are desirable. The proposed approach addresses these limitations by synthesizing novel high capacity reversible metal-organic framework adsorbents for fuel cell - relevant small molecules (primarily CO, additionally H2S and NH3), and incorporating the adsorbents in mechanically, thermally, and chemically robust nanoporous ceramic membranes. The approach is economical and scaleable. In Phase I we will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach, producing and characterizing MOF-based membrane-absorbers.