Nonporous polymeric membranes for biohydrogen purification

Abstract

Biohydrogen generated from biomass is a clean form of hydrogen. The dark fermentation process for the generation of biohydrogen gives a mixture of H2 and CO2 from which biohydrogen needs to be purified. From the available methods for biohydrogen purification, membrane technology is the most viable since it is less energy-intensive and can be combined easily with other processes. Both polymeric as well as inorganic membranes are employed in gas separation processes. Of these, nonporous polymeric membranes are economically viable and are hence used in large-scale gas separations. The use of nonporous polymeric membranes, composed of polymers like polybenzimidazole, polyimide, and polysulfone, for biohydrogen purification is an ongoing area of research which can help to generate hydrogen for use in hydrogen fuel cells, hence reducing the dependence on fossil fuels which pollute the environment. © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.