Prof. Spontak Awarded the Medal for Excellence by IOM3

Prof. Richard Spontak has been awarded the Medal for Excellence by the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3). The “Contribution of Knowledge” award is for his leadership role in NUSINC, an international research collaborative with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NU), SINTEF Industry (SI), and NC State (NC). 

In 2022, the team published the paper “An Integrated Materials Approach in Ultrapermeable and Ultaselective CO₂ Polymer Membranes” in the prestigious journal Science, reporting a novel polymer membrane that significantly increases the efficiency of removing carbon dioxide from a mixed gas stream, such as emissions from power plants. The membrane is composed of a highly permeable polymer that is surface functionalized with amines to bind CO₂.  The functionalization increases the concentration of CO2 at the membrane surface, thereby facilitating its transport through the membrane relative to the other constituents in the gas stream.  The selectivity of carbon dioxide to nitrogen, which is a measure of membrane performance, is above 1000, an impressive value that is well over the Robeson bound. In addition to the award from IOM3, the study was previously recognized with the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Underwood Medal and Global Research Project Award in 2023.

The IOM3 Medal for Excellence comes next in line of other outstanding achievements Prof. Spontak has recently received including an honorary doctorate from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the NC State 2024 Jackson Rigney International Service Award. 

Congratulations Prof. Spontak on this accomplishment!