Location: EER 3.646 or by Zoom: 828 685 7838
Sponsor: Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) Materials for Water and Energy Systems (M-WET)
Title: "Evolution of the Membrane Separations Industry"
Abstract
In 1963, I started on a Ph.D. program at Imperial College working for Professor R.M. Barrer. My thesis was titled "Diffusion of Gases in Microporous Media.” This was a completely academic study, almost no industrial applications of membranes then existed. But unconnected with my research, two students at UCLA, Loeb and Sourirajan, were to publish a paper that over time stimulated the whole area of molecular separations with membranes. Today, membranes are used to produce drinking water from the sea, turn sewage into tap water, separate nitrogen from air, make open heart surgery possible, and keep alive two million people who should otherwise die from end-stage kidney failure • In this talk, I will trace the development of membrane separation technology and suggest some still open applications where further developments are possible.
Bio
Richard Baker received his doctorate in physical chemistry in 1966 at Imperial College, London, where he studied under Professor R. M. Barrer, one of the pioneers of membrane science. Subsequently, he joined Amicon Corporation, Lexington, MA, and developed a series of ultrafiltration membranes now sold under the name Diaflow®. While at Alza Corporation, Palo Alto, CA from 1971 to 1974, he collaborated in the development of the Ocusert® ocular delivery system. In 1974, he co-founded Bend Research, Inc. In 1982, Dr. Baker founded his second company, Membrane Technology and Research, Inc. (MTR), where he served as president for twenty-five years. MTR has become a leading membrane research, development, engineering, and production company, concentrating on the development of membranes and membrane systems for industrially and environmentally significant separations. The company's principal membrane products are VaporSep® membrane systems to remove organic vapors from light gases. More than 500 commercial units have been installed worldwide in chemical and petrochemical plants. MTR has also developed other gas separation technologies for applications in the natural gas processing and petroleum refining industries. In 2007, Dr. Baker stepped aside as MTR’s president, but remains a member of the Board of Directors, and is working on a new development program for membrane-based carbon dioxide capture technology.