Research

At NCCR Separations, we are rethinking how substances are captured, purified, and reused to address some of the most pressing environmental and industrial challenges of our time. Our work focuses on developing advanced membranes and adsorbents.

Our research is driven by three pillars:

• Pillar I: CO₂ capture from air – We develop scalable and cost-effective technologies to efficiently remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, contributing to climate change mitigation.

• Pillar II: High-temperature ammonia separation – We design novel separation technologies that operate under high temperatures, enabling more energy-efficient ammonia production.

• Pillar III: Recovery of critical metals – We create advanced processes to recover valuable materials such as lithium and cobalt from waste streams, supporting secure supply chains and circular resource use.

WP1: Predictive modelling for the design of sustainable processes
Process modelling will serve as the initial step in identifying a suitable technology to address each separation challenge.
WP1 Leader: André Bardow, ETHZ

WP2: Predictive materials modelling
WP2 will develop molecular-level computational modelling tools to rapidly screen top-performing separation materials and rank them based on the KPIs determined in WP1.
WP2 Leader: Michele Ceriotti, EPFL

WP3: Materials synthesis, design, and advanced characterization
WP3 will develop high-performance adsorbents and membranes guided by predictions from WP1 and WP2.
WP3 Leader: Kumar Agrawal, EPFL

WP4: Technology validation
WP4 will carry out the important aspect, often missing in technology development, of technology validation through small-scale demonstration (~100-1kg sorbents, 10×10 cm2 membranes) in custom-built testing units that mirror real-world conditions.
WP4 Leader: Nathalie Casas, EMPA