The University of Houston’s innovation ecosystem is continuing to grow, as UH Technology Bridge announced the exciting addition of Zenith Purification LLC, which focuses on purification and separation technologies.
“We are excited to embark on a new journey with the latest addition to our vibrant community, Zenith Purification LLC,” said Darayle Canada, program director, startup development operations at UH Technology Bridge. “With their visionary team and cutting-edge technologies, they are poised to make a significant impact in the market. Their membership at the UH Technology Bridge will provide them with a supportive ecosystem, mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities to accelerate their growth.”
Headquartered in Missouri City, Zenith Purification develops innovative sorbents and polymeric membranes for heavy metal removal, critical mineral recovery, hydrogen and natural gas purification, and carbon capture. Founded by Jian J. Zou in 2021, Zenith Purification aims to help the energy industry move to a more sustainable future and to provide our environment for generations to come.
Zou’s ground-breaking studies in polymeric membrane synthesis and process development serves as the foundation of Zenith Purification’s innovations, as his 10+ years of intensive research has led to numerous patents and journal publications. Additionally, he was the first scientist in the world to demonstrate the carbon-dioxide-selective water-gas-shift membrane reactor in a lab setting, and the results have sparked some of the current research in the carbon capture and hydrogen purification realms.
In July 2023, Zenith Purification was awarded its first research grant from the Department of Energy. With the Department of Energy's endorsement and the support from the University of Houston’s innovation ecosystem, the company is now accelerating its research and development efforts for novel gas and liquid filters, with the aim of further reducing the cost of clean hydrogen and enabling increased clean hydrogen production.