Inorganic Fiber Reinforced Gas Separator for Electrochemical Conversion Processes

1 . A method for making a gas separator for use in electrochemical conversion processes, the method comprising:

mixing an inorganic fiber into a solution to form a casting suspension, wherein the solution comprises an organic binding material as a solute and a solvent for the solute;

spreading the casting suspension on an inert surface to form a sheet; and

extracting the solvent from the sheet to form the gas separator.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic fiber is hydrophilic.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic fiber comprises Potassium Titanate.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic fiber comprises at least one fiber chosen from the group consisting of: zirconia fibers, Barium sulphate fibers, and Wollastonite fibers.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the organic binding material comprises an organic polymer.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the organic binding material comprises at least one material chosen from the group consisting of: polysulphone, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyacrylonitrile, polyethyleneoxide, and polymethylmethacrylate.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the solvent comprises at least one compound chosen from the group consisting of: N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N-ethyl-2-pyrrolidone (NEP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), formamide, dimethylsulphoxide (DMSO), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC), and acetonitrile.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein spreading the casting suspension including making a layer with a constant thickness up on the inert surface.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein extracting the solvent extraction includes evaporating the solvent from the sheet.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein extracting the solvent extraction includes leaching the solvent out of the sheet by immersing the sheet into and/or washing the sheet using a non-solvent.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the non-solvent comprises at least one liquid selected from the group consisting of: water, and an alcohol.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein preparing the casting suspension includes adding a metal oxide and/or a metal hydroxide to the solution.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in preparing the casting suspension includes adding a pore forming material to the solution; and

wherein the method further comprises removing the pore forming material from the sheet simultaneous with and/or subsequent to the extracting the solvent from the sheet.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the pore forming material comprises a polymer.

15 . A gas separator for use in electrochemical conversion processes, the gas separator comprising:

an inorganic fiber; and

an organic binding material holding the inorganic fiber in a sheet.