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Affiliations

Education Profile

  • Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, 1991
  • B.S., Chemical Process Engineering, University of Hamburg, 1985

Research Interests

Professor Pinnau's research interests are in membrane processes for the separation of gases and liquids: natural gas treatment, CO2 sequestration, hydrogen recovery, olefin/paraffin separation and water purification. His research focuses on synthesis of high-performance polymers; development of high-performance membranes for gas and liquid separations; hybrid organic/inorganic membranes; nanostructured microporous polymer membranes; thin-film technology; and membrane modifications (surface coatings/fouling resistance).

Selected Publications

  • T.C. Merkel, B.D. Freeman, R.J. Spontak, Z. He, I. Pinnau, P. Meakin, A.J. Hill, "Ultrapermeable, reverse-selective nanocomposite membranes", Science 296, 519-522 (2002). [409 ISI citations]
  • T.C. Merkel, V.I. Bondar, K. Nagai, B.D. Freeman, I. Pinnau, "Gas sorption, diffusion, and permeation inpolydimethylsiloxane", J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Phys. Ed. 38, 415-434 (2000). [318 ISI citations]
  • K. Nagai, T. Masuda, T. Nakagawa, B.D. Freeman, I. Pinnau, "Poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] and related polymers: synthesis, properties, and functions", Progr. Polym. Sci. 26, 721-798 (2001). [297 ISI citations]
  • I. Pinnau, L.G. Toy, "Transport of organic vapors through poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1- propyne)", J. Membr. Sci. 116, 199(1996). [131 ISI citations]
  • I. Pinnau, W.J. Koros, "Structures and gas separation properties of asymmetric polysulfone membranes made by dry,wet and dry/wet phase inversion", J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 43, 1491 (1991). [122 ISI citations]
  • I. Pinnau, L.G. Toy, "Solid polymer electrolyte composite membranes for olefin/paraffin separation", J. Membr.Sci 184, 39-48 (2001). [83 ISI citations]