A -- SUPERCRITICAL FLUIDS: ULTRAFILTRATION USING COMPRESSIBLE SOLVENTS

Notice Date

December 3, 2001

Contracting Office

Battelle, Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL), P.O. Box 999, (MSIN K3-04), Richland, WA 99352

ZIP Code

99352

Solicitation Number

IPID 12075

Response Due

February 1, 2002

Point of Contact

Licensing, Technology Commercialization, 902 Battelle Boulevard, P.O. Box 999, MSIN: K9-89, Richland, Washington 99352 [Phone: 509-375-6401] [e-mail: technology@pnl.gov]

E-Mail Address

Click here to send an e-mail to a Licensing Associate (technology@pnl.gov)

Description

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), operated by Battelle Memorial Institute under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy, solicits interest from companies interested in obtaining license rights to commercialize, manufacture and market the following technology (hereinafter referred to as "technology"). License rights may be issued on an exclusive or nonexclusive basis and may include specific fields of use. PNNL may also be available to licensee(s) to assist in further research and development of the technology under a sponsored research agreement or CRADA program. This technology is for the separation of macromolecules (MW >l000 amu) and macromolecular structures, such as micelles, reverse micelles, metal complexes, etc., using membranes in subcritical liquid and supercritical fluid compressible solvents. The separation is controlled through the pore size of the membrane used, which could be either organic or inorganic in composition, and includes but is not limited to, reverse osmosis, ultra- and nanofiltration membranes High pressure and high temperatures can be chosen for the membrane separation process as the only constraints deal with the solubility limits of the macromolecule or macromolecular structure and the thermal stability of the membrane, as the pressure drop across the membrane can be controlled in the system and kept within the membrane compression limits. The solvent will pass through the membrane with the retention of the macromolecules (MW >l000 amu) or macromolecular structures on the retentate side of the membrane. Using a cross-flow along the retentate side of the membrane, one can remove the macromolecule or macromolecular structure from the extraction/separation system. This extraction/separation can be effected without a depressurization step, which is the typical manner of removing a solute macromolecule or macromolecular structure from a compressible subcritical or supercritical fluid solvent. Thus, the enhanced energy efficiency from such a process can make a large-scale continuous extraction process viable. Some applications of this technology could be in the purification of polymers or proteins and for the extraction of the macromolecules from fermentation broths or other complex matrices. Please see US Patent No. 6,264,726. Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Any company interested in licensing this technology must respond with a letter of interest (may be submitted by e-mail) no later than 30 days from the publication date of this Notice summarizing the company's business and technical expertise and motivation for pursuing this opportunity. Companies deemed appropriate will be provided with further information on the technology. Such information may require an executed Nondisclosure Agreement. Respondents wishing to enter into negotiations for a commercial license will be required to submit a business plan for the commercialization of the technology prior to licensee selection and negotiations. Please send letters of interest to the attention of the POC identified within this Notice.

Record

Loren Data Corp. 20011205/ASOL003.HTM (W-335 SN5141L8)