LTA and CHA molecular sieve membranes are inorganic membrane materials based on ordered microporous frameworks, with pore apertures of approximately 0.41 nm (LTA) and 0.38 nm (CHA), respectively. Both combine excellent thermal stability, chemical stability, and outstanding molecular-sieving performance. LTA membranes are strongly hydrophilic and well suited for dehydration and purification applications. CHA membranes, featuring a unique cage-like channel structure, show great promise for the dehydration of organic solvents with high water content in the feed. Their framework acid-site density can be tuned by adjusting the Si/Al ratio (typically in the range of 5-50), enabling them to serve dual functions of separation and catalysis. This also makes them potentially attractive for methanol-to-olefins (MTO) processes.
Performance Snapshot
LTA Zeolite Molecular Sieve Membrane
Methanol / Water
1–15 wt.% · 30–90 °C
> 300
Separation factor
> 95%
Permeate water content
LTA Zeolite Molecular Sieve Membrane
Ethanol / Water
1–15 wt.% · 30–100 °C
> 5,000
Separation factor
> 98%
Permeate water content
LTA Zeolite Molecular Sieve Membrane
Isopropanol / Water
1–15 wt.% · 30–100 °C
> 10,000
Separation factor
> 99%
Permeate water content
CHA Molecular Sieve Membrane
Methanol
5–70 wt.% · 30–140 °C
> 300
Separation factor
> 95%
Permeate water content
CHA Molecular Sieve Membrane
Ethanol / Water
5–70 wt.% · 30–140 °C
> 10,000
Separation factor
> 99%
Permeate water content
CHA Molecular Sieve Membrane
Isopropanol / Water
5–70 wt.% · 30–140 °C
> 30,000
Separation factor
> 99%
Permeate water content
Advanced technological implementations defining the next generation of membrane performance.
LTA molecular sieve membranes exhibit pronounced hydrophilicity and ordered ~0.41 nm micropores - enabling high-flux, high-selectivity dehydration of organic solvents such as ethanol and methanol via pervaporation or vapor permeation.
CHA membranes feature distinctive cage-like channel architecture with ~0.38 nm apertures and shape-selective catalytic properties - suited to low-carbon hydrocarbon separation and catalytic membrane conversion processes.
The inorganic zeolite framework provides robust thermal and chemical stability under demanding process conditions - supporting reliable long-term operation in industrial dehydration and gas-purification environments.
Controlled crystallization and membrane-layer densification yield high membrane density and permselectivity - delivering energy-efficient separation as an alternative to conventional distillation and adsorption trains.
Process Architecture
Separation is governed by molecular sieving through ordered LTA or CHA micropore networks. Single-channel tubular modules (8 / 12 mm ID/OD, 500-1000 mm length) provide 0.037 m2 membrane area per element, with installed areas of 0.7-1.9 m2 and packing densities of 50-80 m2/m3 - deployed across organic-solvent dehydration systems including ethanol/water and methanol/water separations.
Standard specifications for LTA and CHA molecular sieve membranes under reference dehydration test conditions.
| Parameter | LTA | CHA |
|---|---|---|
| Membrane dimensions (ID / OD / length), mm | 8 / 12 / 500-1000 | |
| Number of channels | Single channel | |
| Membrane area per element, m2 | 0.037 | |
| Installed membrane area, m2 | 0.7-1.9 | |
| Packing density, m2/m3 | 50-80 | |
| Water flux | ~1.2 kg/m2/h | ~1 kg/m2/h |
| Ethanol/water selectivity | > 5,000 | > 10,000 |
| Applicable systems | Organic solvent dehydrationethanol/water separationmethanol/water separation | |
Module Design
Standard tubular LTA and CHA molecular sieve membrane dimensions and separation performance.
| System | Feed water content | Permeate water content | Separation factor | Test temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methanol / Water | 1–15 wt.% | > 95% | > 300 | 30–90 °C |
| Ethanol / Water | 1–15 wt.% | > 98% | > 5,000 | 30–100 °C |
| Isopropanol / Water | 1–15 wt.% | > 99% | > 10,000 | 30–100 °C |
Other organic-solvent dehydration systems are also supported; discuss case by case for customer requirements.
| System | Feed water content | Permeate water content | Separation factor | Test temperature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Methanol / Water | 5–70 wt.% | > 95% | > 300 | 30–140 °C |
| Ethanol / Water | 5–70 wt.% | > 99% | > 10,000 | 30–140 °C |
| Isopropanol / Water | 5–70 wt.% | > 99% | > 30,000 | 30–140 °C |
Other organic-solvent dehydration systems — including 1,4-butanediol and esters — are also supported; discuss case by case for customer requirements.
Field Deployment
Vertical and horizontal R&D programs corresponding to LTA/CHA membrane deployments.
Representative CHA and LTA membrane programs in electronic-solvent purification and ammonia synthesis.
This program targets electronic-solvent regeneration and purification for integrated-circuit manufacturing. Conventional azeotropic purification requires entrainers and extractants that can introduce hydrocarbon impurities, limit product purity, and raise separation energy use.
The team developed an additive-free zeolite-membrane purification process, screened and optimized high-performance zeolite membranes, and studied membrane dehydration of electronic-grade acetone, reducing solvent water content from 5% to the part-per-thousand level without introducing external impurities. Compared with conventional routes, the process delivers substantial energy savings and a clear reduction in overall energy intensity.
The work also supported industrial process design and equipment selection, together with technical validation and on-site services, helping the customer achieve closed-loop ultrapure solvent regeneration that meets semiconductor application standards.
This program addresses regeneration and purification of electronic-grade isopropanol for the semiconductor industry. Conventional routes rely on entrainers and extractants that can introduce hydrocarbon impurities and struggle to meet stringent electronic-reagent purity requirements, while distillation remains energy intensive.
Based on zeolite membranes, the team developed an additive-free green purification process and iteratively improved membrane performance, reducing IPA feed water content from 5% to below 1,000 ppm with no residual external reagents. Energy consumption was meaningfully lower than conventional processes.
The program completed process feasibility validation and supported process design and equipment selection for a kiloton-scale electronic-grade IPA production line, accompanied by technical consulting and field services to accelerate industrial deployment of high-purity solvents for IC use.
Ethanol–water azeotropes in electronic-solvent production typically require entrainer-assisted distillation, which can introduce impurities, raise energy use, and increase solvent loss.
This program built an additive-free zeolite-membrane purification unit, completed equipment design and installation guidance, and dehydrated aqueous ethanol to an ethanol mass fraction above 99.8%, with solvent loss controlled within 1.5%. Overall unit energy intensity was significantly lower than conventional azeotropic distillation.
Energy and economic assessments were completed alongside membrane-application training, consulting, and field services, supporting green anhydrous-ethanol purification and engineering deployment of membrane separation equipment in electronic solvents.
In conventional ammonia-synthesis loops, syngas recycle separation is often complex and energy intensive. This program focused on zeolite-membrane syngas separation for skidded small- and medium-scale ammonia plants, without developing membrane materials themselves.
Across 40–100 °C and multiple ammonia concentrations, multi-pressure membrane separation tests were repeated to collect key process data on gas flow, pressure, and separation efficiency, enabling process-condition optimization.
A complete test dataset was delivered to support subsequent pilot and industrial design, helping simplify loop separation, improve syngas component separation, reduce process energy use on skidded ammonia units, and advance membrane separation in green ammonia synthesis.
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Common engineering inquiries and essential documentation for integration planning.
LTA membranes (~0.41 nm, hydrophilic) are optimized for dehydration separation and gas purification - delivering higher water flux (~1.2 kg/m2/h) with ethanol/water selectivity exceeding 5,000. CHA membranes (~0.38 nm, cage-like channels) offer even higher ethanol/water selectivity (> 10,000) and excel in low-carbon hydrocarbon separation and shape-selective catalytic conversion.
Primary application areas include ethanol/water and methanol/water dehydration, along with broader organic-solvent dehydration processes. Industrial use cases also encompass natural gas purification and related gas-separation trains.
Both LTA and CHA membranes are supplied in single-channel tubular format (8 / 12 mm ID/OD, 500-1000 mm length), providing 0.037 m2 membrane area per element, installed areas of 0.7-1.9 m2, and packing densities of 50-80 m2/m3.
Precise synthesis control yields high membrane density and selectivity, enabling energy-efficient molecular-sieving separation that reduces the inefficiency and high energy consumption associated with conventional distillation and adsorption-based processes.