Recent membrane separation technology for noble gas recovery

Abstract

Due to their unique properties, noble gases are significant in various disciplines despite their relative scarcity in the Earth's atmosphere. However, capturing and purifying noble gases from gas mixtures remain challenging in gas processing and separation. Cryogenic distillation has been the most common technique for separating gases, including noble gases, from gas mixtures in industrial applications. Although this process effectively achieves high-purity separations, it is highly energy-intensive due to the extreme cooling requirements. Membrane technology is a promising alternative solution for achieving low-cost and energy-efficient separations. It enables industries to improve their sustainability, reduce operating costs, and enhance product quality. Future membrane separation methods for noble gas recovery, including helium (He), neon (Ne), argon (Ar), krypton (Kr), and xenon (Xe), will become a more prominent and sustainable alternative to traditional cryogenic distillation. This review examines the most recent progress in the development of membrane materials designed to separate noble gases over recent years, encompassing polymers, zeolites, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), porous organic cages (POCs), and 2D nanosheet membranes. This review also highlights that future developments in membrane material design and simulation, coupled with innovative process engineering, can address the existing challenges in this field and unlock the potential of membrane-based noble gas separation technologies.