Capturing Carbon More Efficiently Through Scalable Membrane Technology
Dr. Akshay Modi’s research team at the Department of Chemical Engineering, IISER Bhopal, has developed an advanced membrane technology to capture carbon dioxide (CO?) from industrial exhaust gases, offering a promising pathway toward cleaner air and reduced greenhouse emissions. The team designed specialized hollow fiber membranes made from a robust and industry-friendly polymer, polyacrylonitrile (PAN). By carefully tuning the manufacturing process—particularly the flow conditions during membrane fabrication—they were able to create membranes with an optimized internal structure that selectively separates CO? from gas mixtures. In laboratory tests simulating real flue gas conditions, these membranes demonstrated strong performance, efficiently separating CO? from nitrogen while maintaining stability over extended operation. Notably, the membranes showed resistance to CO?-induced degradation (a common challenge known as plasticization), highlighting their durability under realistic working conditions. The technology has reached an advanced development stage (Technology Readiness Level 6–7), indicating strong potential for scale-up and deployment in industrial settings such as power plants and manufacturing units. A patent application has also been filed to protect this innovation. This work represents a significant step toward cost-effective and scalable carbon capture solutions, supporting India’s transition to cleaner and more sustainable industrial practices. For more details, please refer to the published article: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2026.122332.
