09/07/2026
MEASURED showcased at ICIM 2026: TNO presents progress on Hybrid Silica Membranes for Sustainable Chemical Processing
The MEASURED project was proudly represented at the 18th International Conference on Inorganic Membranes (ICIM 2026), held in Montpellier, France, from 29 June to 3 July 2026.
On 2 July, Mahdi Nikbakht-Fini, Scientist and Project Manager at TNO, delivered an oral presentation entitled “Scale-Up and Pilot-Scale Demonstration of Acid-Resistant Hybrid Silica (HybSi) Membranes for Pervaporation-Enhanced Esterification Reaction.”
The presentation highlighted TNO’s latest achievements within the MEASURED project in developing and scaling up acid-resistant Hybrid Silica (HybSi) membranes for industrial pervaporation applications. The work addresses one of the key challenges in membrane-based process intensification: enabling robust membrane performance under harsh operating conditions while improving the sustainability and efficiency of chemical production.
A major focus of the presentation was the successful evolution of three generations of HybSi membranes, culminating in the development of a multi-channel acid-resistant membrane designed for industrial-scale operation. Within MEASURED, these membranes were successfully manufactured on industrial-size ceramic supports and demonstrated in a TRL 7 pilot plant integrated with Arkema’s esterification process. The pilot campaign achieved 1,000 hours of stable operation, maintaining excellent water selectivity while delivering acrylic acid conversion rates comparable to conventional distillation processes.
The results presented at ICIM 2026 underline the importance of collaborative research in advancing membrane technologies from laboratory development to industrial validation. They also demonstrate how the MEASURED consortium is contributing to more energy-efficient and sustainable chemical manufacturing through innovative membrane solutions.
Participation in ICIM 2026 provided an excellent opportunity to exchange knowledge with leading experts in inorganic membrane technologies, discuss the latest scientific advances, and strengthen collaborations that will accelerate the deployment of next-generation membrane processes across Europe.
