On a membrane-based process for CO2 capture from internal combustion vehicles

High-flux MFI-alumina hollow fibers with a negligible amt. of intercryst. defects and selective to CO2 at room temp. were successfully prepd. using the pore-plugging approach. Unlike film-like membranes, the nanocomposite architecture of these materials, involving a very low effective thickness, allows higher permeances. Although the sepn. factors obtained remain still low and need therefore further optimization, the high fluxes obtained on these materials make them promising to embark on an application for in situ CO2 capture in mobile sources. In addn., the use of hollow fibers instead of conventional tubular membranes might allow a redn. about 1 order of magnitude of the sepn. unit vol.