TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: UltraGraph Membrane Extraction System

The UltraGraph Membrane Extraction System from Los Alamos National Laboratory is a compact, modular device that separates and recovers targeted materials from liquid mixtures using an ultra-thin graphene membrane. The system achieves mass transfer performance comparable to conventional separation equipment with active areas 250 times larger. Its building-block design, chemically stable materials and compatibility with standard laboratory fittings allow it to serve a wide range of applications in chemical separations, recovery purifications and biological sample preparation. Organizations can integrate the UltraGraph system into existing laboratory infrastructure with minimal modification, reducing the cost and complexity of adoption.

How it Works

The UltraGraph system flows two different liquids through separate microchannels etched into quartz substrates, with a three-layer membrane positioned between them. The membrane consists of a monolayer sheet of graphene held between two porous formvar polymer films, each approximately 125 nanometers thick. The formvar layers are permeable, allowing liquid to reach the graphene surface, while the graphene itself blocks the bulk fluids but permits selected ions or particles to transfer across. Liquids can run co-currently or counter-currently depending on the separation task, enabling controlled mass transfer, ion exchange or heat exchange without the two fluids ever mixing. The assembly is secured between steel plates that compress the quartz chips and ETFE gaskets together, forming a leak-resistant seal that connects to standard screw-port fittings.

Technical Description

The graphene at the center of the membrane is grown via chemical vapor deposition on copper foil and transferred onto formvar support films using a proprietary process that is one to two orders of magnitude faster than conventional PMMA-based transfer methods. The formvar films have tunable porosity ranging from 20% to 60%. At approximately 125...