US 12,214,315 B2
System and method for electrically conductive membrane separation
Brendan D. Smith, Cambridge, MA (US); Jatin Patil, Cambridge, MA (US); Daniel Bregante, Cambridge, MA (US); Ahmed Helal, Cambridge, MA (US); Hee Yun Choi Kim, Cambridge, MA (US); Morgan Baima, Cambridge, MA (US); Jeffrey C. Grossman, Cambridge, MA (US); and Noah Letwat, Cambridge, MA (US)
Assigned to SiTration, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by SiTration, Inc., Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Oct. 23, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/382,884.
Application 18/382,884 is a continuation of application No. 18/212,590, filed on Jun. 21, 2023.
Application 18/212,590 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/845,667, filed on Jun. 21, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/213,085, filed on Jun. 21, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0042387 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B01D 61/08 (2006.01); B01D 61/02 (2006.01); B01D 67/00 (2006.01); B01D 69/02 (2006.01); B01D 71/02 (2006.01); C23C 16/24 (2006.01); C23C 16/50 (2006.01); C23C 16/56 (2006.01); G03F 7/30 (2006.01); H01M 10/54 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 61/08 (2013.01) [B01D 61/027 (2013.01); B01D 67/0062 (2013.01); B01D 67/0072 (2013.01); B01D 69/02 (2013.01); B01D 71/0213 (2022.08); C23C 16/24 (2013.01); C23C 16/50 (2013.01); C23C 16/56 (2013.01); G03F 7/30 (2013.01); H01M 10/54 (2013.01); B01D 2313/365 (2013.01); B01D 2323/28 (2013.01); B01D 2325/02833 (2022.08); B01D 2325/26 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A membrane nanofiltration system for electrically conductive membrane separation comprising:
a conductive membrane filter comprising a silicon wafer, wherein the silicon wafer comprises a first region having pores with pore sizes ranging from 1 μm to 10 mm and a second region having pores with pore sizes ranging from 1 nm to 5 μm;
an electrical contact in contact with the membrane filter, wherein electrical current can flow from the electrical contact to the conductive membrane filter; and
a counter electrode above a top surface of the membrane electrode,
wherein the membrane filter, via the electrical contact, and the counter electrode are configured to:
generate an electric field between the membrane filter and the counter electrode;
hold the membrane filter at a constant electric potential; or
flow constant current into the membrane filter, and
wherein the membrane filter is configured to separate a component from a mixture solution, and
wherein the pore size of the pores in the first region are different from the pore size of the pores in the second region, and
wherein the silicon wafer is monolithic silicon and is not bound to a support.