Membranes for Separation, Purification, Compression, and Storage of Carbon Resources from Alkaline Water

The United States Navy is soliciting Phase I STTR proposals under solicitation DON27TZ02-NV008 to develop a low-cost, low-energy, and high-throughput nonmetallic membrane process for purifying and storing carbon dioxide from acidic seawater solutions. The goal is to create a system that operates at temperatures not exceeding 50°C to avoid the dilution of CO2 with air and water vapor, which currently causes catalyst degradation and volumetric penalties. This capability is intended to support the localized synthesis of tactical fuels, materials, and pharmaceuticals at the tactical edge, enhancing multi-domain operational sustainment. The project will evolve from a Phase I research effort into a Phase II prototype capable of compressing gas to at least 300psi, and eventually a Phase III design scaled to 250,000 gallons per day, including a cost-benefit analysis against cryogenic distillation and pressure swing adsorption. This total small business set-aside opportunity provides a maximum Phase I award of $315,000, consisting of a $200,000 base period and a $115,000 option, each lasting six months. Proposals must be submitted via the Defense SBIR/STTR Innovation Portal by January 6, 2027. Evaluation is based on technical merit, innovation, investigator qualifications, and commercial potential. Awardees must comply with CMMC cybersecurity standards, NIST SP 800-171 for protecting controlled unclassified information, and Buy American requirements. Technical proposals are limited to 10 pages and must be submitted as a single PDF. All proposing entities must be registered in the System for Award Management and the SBA Company Registry.