Vapor Phase Infiltration for Membrane Modification

The solvent-free, postsynthetic modification of polymeric membranes using vapor phase infiltration (VPI) may offer a drop-in approach to improving membrane performance, avoiding the need for significant changes to existing manufacturing processes and formulations. By incorporating inorganic components into a polymer matrix, VPI could enable the use of lower cost polymeric membranes in applications that previously required ceramic materials, thereby improving process efficiency and reducing costs. In this perspective, we highlight the potential of VPI to enhance membrane properties, including permeability, selectivity, stability, and conductivity. In addition to reviewing existing work in this field, we explore potential systems and applications where VPI could improve device performance, proposing potential VPI process chemistries and unexplored polymer substrates for future research. Finally, we discuss the financial viability of this approach through a technoeconomic analysis of a proposed industrial VPI process.