Sumitomo Chemical Develops Alumina to Boost Ceramic Membrane Permeance

Sumitomo Chemical has developed a technology using its high-performance alumina to increase through-pore density in ceramic microfiltration membranes, improving permeance while maintaining separation performance. In joint research with Kobe University, membranes made with the new alumina delivered more than three times the steady-state permeance at comparable separation performance, with results published August 12, 2026 in Journal of Membrane Science Letters. The company plans to collaborate with membrane and filtration system manufacturers.

Key facts

Market context

Alumina, or aluminum oxide, is a widely used industrial ceramic material valued for its hardness, thermal stability and chemical resistance. Alpha-alumina in particular is a common base for ceramic membranes, which are used to separate solids, bacteria and other particles from liquids. Demand for these membranes comes from water and wastewater treatment, food and beverage processing, biotechnology, fermentation and general chemical production, where operators need filtration that is durable under harsh cleaning and high temperatures. Permeance, the rate at which liquid passes through a membrane under a given pressure, largely determines how much equipment is needed for a given throughput. Membranes that pass more liquid at similar separation performance can reduce footprint, energy use and replacement costs. Improvements at the materials level therefore tend to matter to membrane makers and system integrators, who may adopt better raw materials rather than redesign their systems.

Source: official release on sumitomo-chem.co.jp. Summary and context written by Market Krystal.