Radially Aligned Carbon Nanotube Hollow Fiber Membranes

We report the first radially aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) hollow fiber (HF) membrane in which the pores of the membrane consist of open nanotubes traversing a non-porous polymer skin. The nanotubes are located on the outer surface of the fiber, allowing for outside-in flow with precise size selectivity. Two types of CNT HF membranes will be discussed – membranes using Arc Discharge, and CoMoCat nanotubes. Performance data for both water and gas separations will be presented, and this data will be compared to flat sheet CNT membrane data shared previously. Perspectives on the development of the membrane technology in a start up company context will also be discussed.