# US 10,118,168 B2 · Catalytic membranes and applications thereof

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- Number: US 10,118,168 B2
- Document ID: US10118168B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/155,822
- Filed: 2016-05-16
- Published: 2016-09-08
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2011-10-31
- Assignees: Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
- Applicants: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas
- Inventors: Sumith Ranil Wickramasinghe; Xianghong Qian; Mathias Ulbricht; Qian Yang
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118168B2

## CPC

- B01J 31/06: containing polymers {(organometallic polymers B01J31/123; polymer-bound organometallic complexes B01J31/165; coordination polymers B01J31/1691)}
- B01D 67/00931: {by introduction of specific groups after membrane formation, e.g. by grafting}
- B01D 71/70: Polymers having silicon in the main chain, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or carbon only
- B01J 8/009: {Membranes, e.g. feeding or removing reactants or products to or from the catalyst bed through a membrane}
- B01J 19/2475: {Membrane reactors}
- B01J 31/0225: {comprising sulfonic acid groups or the corresponding salts}
- B01J 31/0284: {of an aromatic ring, e.g. pyridinium}
- B01J 31/0285: {also containing elements or functional groups covered by B01J31/0201 - B01J31/0274}
- B01J 31/0295: {by covalent attachment to the substrate, e.g. silica}
- B01J 31/069: {Hybrid organic-inorganic polymers, e.g. silica derivatized with organic groups (nitrogen containing groups on mineral substrates B01J31/0254; organometallic polymers B01J31/123; coordination complexes immobilised on an inorganic support B01J31/1616; coordination polymers, e.g. metal-organic frameworks B01J31/1691)}
- B01J 31/10: sulfonated
- B01J 37/0219: {the coating containing organic compounds}
- C12M 21/12: {for producing fuels or solvents (C12M21/04 takes precedence; liquid carbonaceous fuels C10L1/00, solid fuels C10L5/00)}
- C12M 45/06: {by chemical means or hydrolysis}
- C13B 20/165: {using membranes, e.g. osmosis, ultrafiltration (electrodialysis C13B20/18)}
- C13K 13/002: {Xylose}
- C13K 13/007: {Separation of sugars provided for in subclass C13K (C13K3/00 takes precedence)}
- B01D 2323/38: Graft polymerization
- B01J 2231/005: General concepts, e.g. reviews, relating to methods of using catalyst systems, the concept being defined by a common method or theory, e.g. microwave heating or multiple stereoselectivity
- B01J 2231/40: Substitution reactions at carbon centres, e.g. C-C or C-X, i.e. carbon-hetero atom, cross-coupling, C-H activation or ring-opening reactions
- B01J 2531/004: Ligands
- C13K 1/02: obtained by saccharification of cellulosic materials (manufacture of fodder A23K10/32)
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C12M: APPARATUS FOR ENZYMOLOGY OR MICROBIOLOGY; {APPARATUS FOR CULTURING MICROORGANISMS FOR PRODUCING BIOMASS, FOR GROWING CELLS OR FOR OBTAINING FERMENTATION OR METABOLIC PRODUCTS, i.e. BIOREACTORS OR FERMENTERS}
- C13B: PRODUCTION OF SUCROSE; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR (chemically synthesised sugars or sugar derivatives C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes for preparing compounds containing saccharide radicals C12P19/00)
- C13K: SACCHARIDES OBTAINED FROM NATURAL SOURCES OR BY HYDROLYSIS OF NATURALLY OCCURRING DISACCHARIDES, OLIGOSACCHARIDES OR POLYSACCHARIDES (chemically synthesised sugars or sugar derivatives C07H; polysaccharides, e.g. starch, derivatives thereof C08B; malt C12C; fermentation or enzyme-using processes for preparing compounds containing saccharide radicals C12P19/00; production of sucrose C13B)

## Abstract

In one aspect, catalytic membranes are described herein. In some embodiments, a catalytic membrane comprises a surface functionalized with a polymer, the polymer comprising cellulose solubilization functionalities and acid functionalities for the catalytic hydrolysis of cellulose and/or hemicellulose.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catalytic membrane comprising:
a surface functionalized with cellulose solubilization functionalities and acid functionalities for the catalytic hydrolysis of cellulose, wherein the cellulose solubilization functionalities are pendant along a polymer chain grafted to the surface and comprise one or more imidazolium salts and wherein the acid functionalities are pendant along a cellulose hydrolysis polymer chain grafted to the surface of the catalytic membrane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the one or more imidazolium salts is of the formula:
wherein is a point of attachment to the polymer chain, x is a counterion and R1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, alkyl-sulfonic acid, alkyl-carboxylic acid and alkyl-phosphonic acid.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the one or more imidazolium salts comprise imidazolium chlorides.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the acid functionalities comprise sulfonic acid, carboxylic acid or phosphonic acid functionalities or mixtures thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the surface is a first side of the membrane for receiving cellulose feedstock.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The catalytic membrane of claim 5, wherein the membrane is porous.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The catalytic membrane of claim 6, wherein a plurality of pores of the porous membrane are functionalized with acid functionalities for the catalytic hydrolysis of cellulose.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The catalytic membrane of claim 5 comprising a second side in facing opposition to the first side, wherein the second side is not functionalized with at least one of the cellulose solubilization functionalities and the acid functionalities for the catalytic hydrolysis of cellulose.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the membrane is non-porous.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the cellulose hydrolysis polymer chain comprises poly(styrene sulfonic acid).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The catalytic membrane of claim 1, wherein the acid functionalities are operable for the catalytic hydrolysis of hemicellulose.