KAIST's hydrogen-separation membrane shows potential for cost reduction

KAIST developed a polymer membrane that could lower green hydrogen production costs by improving hydrogen separation from natural gas streams

KAIST created polymer membrane ms-oDMB-DB50 with 73% bridge connectivity degree. This design features ultramicropores smaller than 3 Å that carbon dioxide cannot access, enabling better hydrogen separation from natural gas streams. The membrane shows improved hydrogen permeability and selectivity over earlier versions while maintaining stable performance for 100 hours without degradation. Its tensile strength is about twice that of previously reported high-performance polymer membranes. Research was published in Nature Communications (2026) with DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-73860-0, led by Professor Tae-Hyun Bae’s department.

This design could reduce green hydrogen production costs by enabling cheaper separation of hydrogen from natural gas streams. For energy-intensive hydrogen production, improved separation efficiency directly lowers the cost of green hydrogen—a critical need for clean energy transitions. However, the publication date (August 12, 2026) is in the future relative to current calendar, meaning this research remains in the laboratory phase with no immediate commercial application. The source reports this work as a potential advancement, not current reality.

Source: Phys.org