Quick Shot

Novel gas membranes that demonstrate variable permeability when illuminated with different wavelengths of light have recently been developed at the Optical Materials Laboratory. These are based on light-sensitive liquid crystals, synthesized at LLE, and absorbed into micropores of a thin plastic sheet. Shown is one of the developers, Eric Glowacki, preparing a membrane for testing using a custom-built permeation measurement tool.

UPDATE: Patent issued May 2013
K. L. Marshall and E. Glowacki, “Photo-Switchable Membrane and Method,” U.S. Patent No. 8,435,333 (7 May 2013).