Periodic Reporting for period 1 - THINtoBIG (Bringing novel Carbon Nanomembranes to the water filtration market)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-05-01 do 2022-01-31
This FET Innovation Launchpad THINtoBIG aimed to bring ultrathin carbon nanomembranes (CNMs) as a gamechanger to the market of demanding water separation applications. It followed-up on the scientific results in the FET Open project ITS-THIN, in which CNM Technologies (CNMT) as a 2D-materials specialist and BLUE-tec (BTEC) as a water treatment process developer participate. Together these companies now wish to join forces to prepare for the production and sales of CNM-composite membranes. THINtoBIG resulted into a conclusive business plan to be able to raise funds and find investors for production, marketing and sales of novel CNM-composite membranes.
The activities in ITS-THIN concentrate around scientific and technical goals - scientific in understanding of water transport in nano conduits, material development and characterisation; technical in the development of CNM-composite membranes and modules, as well as demonstration of first applications. Complementary, THINtoBIG focused on the development of a business based thereon. Using the results of ITS-THIN, THINtoBIG evaluated the costs of upscaled membrane fabrication and the potential of CNM-composite membranes in different markets. Input from ITS-THIN about the technical aspects and the performance of the first demonstrations for low-pressure reverse osmosis and forward osmosis have been considered in the final business plan. These new water treatment processes, which will be enabled by the newly developed CNM-composite membranes, promise to give some solutions in mankind’s quest for clean water and efficient water management (provision of ultrapure water in pharmacy and semiconductor manufacturing, industrial water purification processes, treatment of wastewater - especially removal of hard-to-deal-with drug residues and Boron,…) as well as secure save and economical food supply (cold concentration of food and beverages).
The activities in ITS-THIN concentrate around scientific and technical goals - scientific in understanding of water transport in nano conduits, material development and characterisation; technical in the development of CNM-composite membranes and modules, as well as demonstration of first applications. Complementary, THINtoBIG focused on the development of a business based thereon. Using the results of ITS-THIN, THINtoBIG evaluated the costs of upscaled membrane fabrication and the potential of CNM-composite membranes in different markets. Input from ITS-THIN about the technical aspects and the performance of the first demonstrations for low-pressure reverse osmosis and forward osmosis have been considered in the final business plan. These new water treatment processes, which will be enabled by the newly developed CNM-composite membranes, promise to give some solutions in mankind’s quest for clean water and efficient water management (provision of ultrapure water in pharmacy and semiconductor manufacturing, industrial water purification processes, treatment of wastewater - especially removal of hard-to-deal-with drug residues and Boron,…) as well as secure save and economical food supply (cold concentration of food and beverages).
The work was structured in five work packages. Starting with the technology assessment in work package WP1, work packages WP2 (market and competitor analysis) and WP3 (production scale-up analysis) received inputs about performance data of and the production concept for CNM-composite membranes. All three work packages gave input on potential customers and markets, competition, estimated production costs, and current know how for work package WP4, where a conclusive business plan was prepared. Outreach to customers and partners was the essential aim of work package WP5, which accompanied the other work packages.
A conclusive business plan has been written, which should enable the beneficiaries to raise the necessary funds to build up a pilot production of CNM-composite membranes and to introduce them to the market. The consortium plans to start with fund raising activities in the next months.
A conclusive business plan has been written, which should enable the beneficiaries to raise the necessary funds to build up a pilot production of CNM-composite membranes and to introduce them to the market. The consortium plans to start with fund raising activities in the next months.
Based on the results of the technical and market analysis in THINtoBIG, further applications of CNM-composite membranes were identified beyond the already targeted provision of ultrapure water and cold concentration of food and beverages. These are especially removal of Boron from desalinated water for irrigation purposes and removal of drug residues from treated waste water. All these applications are not easily feasible with conventional membranes, while CNM-composite membranes promise to fulfil the tasks. THINtoBIG also succeeded in focusing the development work in ITS-THIN on those performance specifications (rejection rates, permeance, …), which makes a difference to existing membranes. The production scale-up analysis and the final business plan showed, that it is possible to reach profitability of the business with even a first production with a capacity of some 10.000 m²/y, which then be scaled to higher volumes in a further step.