Developing miniature filtration systems to tackle substantial challenges

Developing miniature filtration systems to tackle substantial challenges

Breaking Chains: Rotating the Tide of Industrial Separations

For decades, industrial processes have relied heavily on heat to separate gases, liquids, and ions. Though efficient, these thermal methods consume roughly 10% of the energy in the United States, a statistic that MIT chemical engineer Zachary Smith aims to change. Smith's ambition? To replace these energy-guzzling procedures with filters that can selectively filter gases, liquids, and ions at room temperature.

In the hallowed halls of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smith has been working tirelessly to design membranes with minuscule pores that can sieve tiny molecules based on their size. These membranes could revolutionize industries such as biogas purification, carbon capture, and hydrogen fuel generation – leading to significant reductions in energy consumption and carbon footprints.

"We are championing materials that possess extraordinary abilities to separate molecules and ions with unparalleled precision. We aim to apply these materials to scenarios where the existing processes are inefficient and exponentially contribute to the carbon footprint," explains Smith, an associate professor of chemical engineering.

Smith and a band of former students have teamed up to form Osmoses, a company dedicated to developing these materials for large-scale gas purification applications. By eliminating the need for high temperatures in widespread industrial processes, these innovations could slash energy consumption by up to 90%.

"I dream of a world where thermal separations are a relic of the past, and where heat is no longer an impediment in creating the things we need or producing the energy we need," Smith muses.

From Curiosity to Calling

Smith's passion for separating molecules can be traced back to his high school days, where a fascination with chemistry and mathematics led him to engineering. Inspired by his parents, both physicians, Smith diligently pursued his studies, determined to unravel the secrets of the world around him.

At Penn State University, Smith worked under the guidance of Professor Henry "Hank" Foley on a project to design carbon-based materials for gas separation – a laborious layering process that resulted in a molecular sieve capable of purifying oxygen and nitrogen from air. This success sparked Smith's obsession with research, leading him to further explore the realm of membranes.

After earning his degree, Smith pursued graduate studies in chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Here, he continued his exploration of membranes, this time employing polymers to create selective films capable of filtering out specific gases like carbon dioxide.

"Polymers provided me with an exciting opportunity to create large-scale devices that could integrate into large-scale chemical plants, potentially addressing questions related to CO2 and other energy-efficient separations," Smith says.

Upon completing his PhD, Smith sought to delve deeper into chemistry and joined a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California at Berkeley. Here, he studied metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and developed an appreciation for the intricate chemistry that governs their material properties.

Though Carter enjoyed chemistry, he ultimately realized that he thrived in the realm of engineering, where he could more effectively translate fundamental scientific concepts into practical applications.

Tackling Global Challenges: From Berkeley to MIT

During his faculty job interviews, Smith was drawn to MIT by the diverse talent and innovative mindset of the faculty and students.

"I was not just impressed by their talent but also their vision – they were not interested in moving their field a little forward. They were creating new fields. It was inspiring," he recollects.

In his lab at MIT, Smith is now working on tackling some of the world's most pressing challenges, including water purification, critical element recovery, renewable energy, battery development, and carbon sequestration.

In collaboration with Professor Yan Xia of Stanford University, Smith recently developed gas separation membranes incorporating a unique type of polymer known as "ladder polymers," which are currently being scaled for deployment at his startup. Historically, using polymers for gas separation has been limited by a trade-off between permeability and selectivity, but the use of ladder polymers has enabled the creation of membranes that are both highly permeable and extremely selective.

"These advancements allow us to envision large-scale industrial problems solved by miniaturized devices. If we can shrink the system down, then the solutions we are developing in the lab could easily be applied to large industries like the chemicals industry," Smith explains.

These advancements and others are just the tip of the iceberg for Smith and his team. With talented students, postdocs, and researchers on board, Smith looks forward to making groundbreaking discoveries and contributing to the solution of global challenges.

1. Associate Professor Zachary Smith, a chemical engineer at MIT, envisioned a future where high temperatures in industrial processes are no longer needed for separating gases, liquids, and ions due to his development of selective filters.
2. Smith and a group of former students have founded Osmoses, a company focused on developing membranes for large-scale gas purification, with the potential to reduce energy consumption by up to 90%.
3. Smith's passion for molecule separation was ignited during his high school years, fueled by his interests in chemistry and mathematics.
4. At Penn State University, Smith collaborated with Professor Henry Foley, designing carbon-based materials for gas separation, which led to a molecular sieve capable of purifying oxygen and nitrogen from air.
5. After completing his degree, Smith pursued graduate studies in chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he created selective films using polymers to filter out specific gases like carbon dioxide.
6. During a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, Smith studied metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and subsequently appreciated the complex chemistry shaping their material properties.
7. At MIT, Smith collaborates with researchers to address global challenges such as water purification, critical element recovery, renewable energy, battery development, and carbon sequestration, integrating ladder polymers into gas separation membranes for potential industrial-scale applications.

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