Amirkabir university to receive US patent

"As the initial step of this work, a porous stainless steel substrate was prepared by a routine technique called the powder metallurgy method. This substrate structure is superior to the conventional alumina substrates in terms of mechanical strength and permeability and enables the implementation of gamma alumina membranes for high pressure applications," Dr. Nader Parvin, one of the inventors, explained. "Subsequently, an intermediate ceramic sublayer was coated over the mesoporous stainless steel substrate to allow the deposition of the gamma alumina membrane. The coating was carried out by the soaking-rolling and fast drying method for the first time to improve the mechanical adhesion of the ceramic layer and the metal substrate." He described the utilization of a metallic substrate, the three layered configuration of the invented module which features controlled porosity, and the mentioned new special application as the significant advantages of the invention over the prior art. "The invented composite membrane, as the end product of a production chain, can be used in separation of wastewater streams where the influent is high pressured. The invented membrane can serve in water and wastewater treatment duties and heavy metal removals from water, to mention some common examples of its application," Dr. Parvin added. "Patenting our invention at an international level was a costly and intensive process which could not have been possible without the financial supports of the Iran Nanotechnology Initiative Council. We have been granted a primary financial support from the INIC for conducting the research and a secondary fund to cover 80% of the total patent registration costs," he said, appreciating the INIC for its financial assistance.