The chemical and biomolecular engineering department of Ohio State University in the US has been awarded a US$1 million research project by Shell to research CO2-hydrogen membrane separation. This investment is part of a broader Shell strategy to invest and develop technologies that would benefit the commercialization of hydrogen, the company says.

This research will look at a new approach to membrane separation technology used in production of hydrogen from fossil fuels, according to Shell. The benefits of this particular technology are that unlike conventional methods, this process allows separation of pure CO2 at a lower cost, making it essential for economical carbon capture and sequestration, which allows zero-emission production of hydrogen. In addition, this technology may lower the cost of producing hydrogen, bringing it closer to commercialisation.

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