Sep 02, 2010 - Claremont, CA -

Nano-particles, smaller than a cross-section of a human hair, could help contain the spread of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere – when used as part of a membrane gas filtration system. Four HMC students delved into research this summer aimed at making this green technology a reality. 

Dalar Nazarian '12, Ethan Ritz '12, Ethan Susca '12 and Michael Loy '13 spent the summer creating nano-particles and casting them into polymer composite membranes, which the students then tested for gas permeability.

"Currently industries use energy-intensive methods to separate gases," explained Ethan Susca. "They can cool the gases down, in the process using lots of energy until one becomes a liquid, and then separate the liquid from the gas. We're trying to create filters that would separate out harmful greenhouse gases using no more energy than the usual upstream of gas -- a much more cost-efficient and energy-efficient method for industry."

Working in the lab of Nancy Lape, Assistant Professor of Engineering, with funding from the National Science Foundation, the team of student researchers mixed chemicals to create nano-particles, extracted and viewed them under a high-powered scanning electron microscope, cast them into polymer membranes, and measured their permeability for four critical gases. With specialized software for molecular modeling, Dalar Nazarian '12 modeled the nano-composite membranes to better understand their permeability.

"By modeling we can look at things on a really small scale," said Nazarian. "I can look at the amount of free volume there is in a certain membrane, with a certain polymer, and see how that is related to the [transport of the] gas we are putting through it."

In order to produce effective membranes, the students needed uniform nano-particle fillers. With the help of a scanning electron microscope they were able to check the size and shape of their nano-particles. Particles that clumped together produced oddly textured, ineffective membranes which the students tacked to the team’s "Wall of Shame"; a wall they now consider an excellent exhibit of how researchers learn from their mistakes and go on to produce solid scientific results.