How Tiny Membranes Are Solving Humanity's Biggest Challenges

Solutions don’t need to be massive to make a difference—sometimes, the tiniest membranes can carry the weight of the world.

—MEMS Team

Human activity releases billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, driving a climate crisis that continues to accelerate. In response to this global threat, world leaders adopted the Paris Agreement on December 12, 2015, to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C. The agreement marked a rare moment of international consensus and ambition. However, nearly a decade later, the gap between stated goals and real-world action remains wide. Emissions continue to rise and the effects of climate change are becoming more severe and more frequent. Amid rising global temperatures, the focus has shifted from setting targets to delivering results. The central question now is whether innovation, policy and international cooperation can advance quickly enough to avert the most damaging consequences.

Hydrogen Production and the Role of Gas Separation Membranes

As the world shifts toward cleaner energy sources, hydrogen has emerged as a key solution to help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Industry analysts predict the global hydrogen market will grow from $150 billion in 2020 to $280 billion by 2030, driven by rising demand for clean energy alternatives. Nevertheless, producing pure hydrogen for use in energy applications, such as fuel cells or power generation, requires efficient separation of hydrogen from other gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) or nitrogen (N₂). In fact, it is estimated that the hydrogen production sector accounts for about 70% of global hydrogen demand, and membrane-based gas separation methods contribute significantly at this point.

With hydrogen's role in clean energy solutions growing rapidly, the demand for advanced gas separation technologies follows suit. Engineers typically use polymeric, ceramic or composite materials to make gas separation membranes. They choose each material based on the type of gases to separate and the conditions of operation, such as temperature and pressure. The membrane itself has microscopic pores or channels that allow gas molecules to pass through.

• Polymeric membranes offer wide use because of their flexibility, ease of processing and cost-effectiveness. They separate gases effectively based on differences in size, solubility or diffusivity.

  
  

• Ceramic and metal membranes offer higher thermal and chemical stability and are used in more demanding applications, such as high-temperature environments.

Applications of Membrane Gas Separation

Gas separation using membranes plays a role in diverse applications, including:

• CO₂ Capture: Membrane technology increasingly supports carbon capture, especially in industrial plants that generate large amounts of CO₂. Membranes capture CO₂ from flue gases before release into the atmosphere. Operators can then store the CO₂ (carbon sequestration) or use it in various industrial processes.

• Air Separation: Membranes commonly serve in air separation units to produce oxygen and nitrogen. For example, in medical and industrial oxygen production, the membrane selectively permeates oxygen, separating it from nitrogen and other gases in the air.

• Natural Gas Processing: Membranes also play a role in natural gas processing by removing impurities, such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and water vapor from raw natural gas. This process purifies the gas before transporting it for use in homes and industries.

• Hydrogen Separation: In the hydrogen production industry, membranes separate hydrogen (H₂) from other gases, such as CO₂ or methane. Blue hydrogen production relies on this process, where natural gas generates hydrogen and captures CO₂ to prevent its release into the atmosphere.

Separation Mechanism

The separation of gases using membranes occurs based on molecular sieving, solution-diffusion or convective flow.

• Molecular Sieving: This is used when gases of different molecular sizes need to be separated. The membrane contains pores small enough to block nitrogen (N₂) while allowing oxygen (O₂) to pass through.

• Solution-Diffusion Mechanism: In this mechanism, gas molecules dissolve in the membrane material and then diffuse across the membrane. The rate of diffusion depends on factors, such as the size, solubility and diffusivity of the gas. For instance, carbon dioxide (CO₂) has a higher solubility in many polymeric materials than nitrogen (N₂), so CO₂ will pass through the membrane more readily.

• Convective Flow: This is a less common mechanism used when there are significant pressure differences across the membrane, and gas flow occurs due to the pressure gradient. However, this is generally less efficient for selective gas separation than the other mechanisms.

How Can MEMS’s Membrane Systems Transform Gas Separation Technologies?

At MEMS, we believe that building the world’s most advanced infrastructure begins at the molecular level. As global authorities shape the next era of energy policy, our advanced technologies turn ambitious ideas into scalable, real-world solutions. MEMS’s membrane production systems represent the strategic core of this transformation, which drive the clean energy transition by enabling CO₂ capture, H₂ recovery and N₂ generation through precision engineered hollow fiber membranes.

From Concept to Commercialization: Precision Fiber Production

Big ideas begin in the lab. So do we. MEMS’s lab-scale spinning system empowers researchers to prototype next-generation membrane materials—including polyimide, PEEK and mixed-matrix composites—with exceptional control over fiber geometry. By fine-tuning fiber dimensions from the outset, we enable the development of membranes with optimized gas selectivity and performance. As concepts evolve into market-ready technologies, our pilot and commercial-scale spinning systems provide seamless scale-up. These systems ensure that the uniformity and performance achieved at the lab scale are preserved throughout large-scale production, delivering consistent results for industrial gas separation applications.

Potting Systems: Securing Performance Under Pressure

Once fibers are produced, proper encapsulation is key to ensuring module integrity and long-term reliability. MEMS’s encapsulation setup allows for precise, leak-free sealing during early-stage testing, while the pilot-scale potting system offers industrial-grade potting using high-strength resins. These resins maintain fiber alignment and withstand the high-pressure environments common in real-world deployments.

Figure 1: Hollow Fiber Potting System

Cutting Systems: Precision Meets Efficiency

Properly preparing fiber ends maximizes membrane efficiency. Our lab-scale cutting system enables accurate trimming to support performance testing and our pilot-scale cutting system ensures uniform cuts at high throughput. This level of precision helps maximize fiber packing density and ensures consistent membrane performance as production scales.

Figure 2: Hollow Fiber Cutting and Potting Systems

Coating System: Extending Membrane Capability

Beyond fiber fabrication, surface enhancement plays a critical role in operational performance. Our coating system applies ultrathin selective layers—such as silicone rubber or fluoropolymers—to improve gas selectivity and protect against fouling and plasticization. This added layer of protection extends membrane lifespan, particularly in harsh industrial settings.

Figure 3: Hollow Fiber Coating System

Washing System: Clean Fibers, Clean Results

Before membranes can be deployed, they must be purified. Our bundle-type washing system removes residual solvents and impurities from fiber bundles, ensuring optimal permeability and long-term stability. This is especially crucial for demanding applications such as natural gas processing, where membrane cleanliness directly impacts operational efficiency.

Membranes That Move the Industry

At the heart of all our systems are thousands of polymeric fibers—each between 100 and 300 micrometers in diameter—tightly bundled into pressure vessels. These capillary-like structures form the core of advanced gas separation modules, driving cleaner, more efficient processes across industries from petrochemicals to renewable energy.

The true advantage of MEMS hollow fiber systems lies in their exceptional surface-area-to-volume ratio. This design packs a large amount of membrane material into a compact module, which maximizes efficiency and minimizes space. This is especially important for large-scale industrial operations, where space and energy efficiency matter most. As the focus shifts from climate pledges to climate implementation, innovations in materials, design and engineering provide practical solutions. The challenge is no longer about discovering what's possible but about accelerating the deployment of these technologies fast enough to meet urgent climate targets.

Interested in MEMS for upscaling? Let’s discuss your needs—our team is here to help. Explore further at www.pmems.co.kr