SMM · Small Molecular Mover

A novel separation technology for complex streams.

Ligrin AG develops SMM — a selective separation technology that unlocks value from dirty, complex, and low-grade streams.

What SMM does

Move the valuable molecules, leave the mess behind

SMM (Small Molecular Mover) is a hardware-enabled, selective separation technology. It moves valuable ions and molecules out of dirty, complex, high-fouling streams and into clean receiving streams — at low pressure, ambient temperature, and reagent-free — so proven downstream recovery works better, on feedstock it couldn't handle before.

How it works

One dirty stream in, two clean streams out

SMM is selective — it moves only the characterized target compound, a valuable or process-inhibiting molecule at nano-to-micron scale. Selective SMM separation materially improves the unit economics of the whole process.

Dirty, complex feedstock

An aqueous stream that carries the target compound — difficult and costly to handle by conventional means.

— SMM selectively splits it into —

Target molecules stream

Valuable and isolated — a recovered commodity, or ready for downstream processing.

Cleansed stream

Ready for utilisation, or for environmentally-safe disposal.

Electromechanical Acid-resilient Designed per application Hyper-efficient by design Scalable Industrially robust
Why it matters

A paradigm shift in separation

01

A breakthrough in separation

A hardware-enabled process module that selectively moves valuable ions and molecules out of dirty, high-fouling streams into clean receiving streams.

02

An enabling step

Dramatically lowers downstream processing versus current methods, and unlocks feedstocks that are too dirty or too costly to process.

03

Broadly applicable

Bioenergy, biochemicals, mineral extraction, food & feed, biopharma, chemical processing, and environmental remediation.

04

Extensive IP

Proprietary hardware, know-how and process designs protected by a growing patent and trade-secrets portfolio.

Where it applies

Four broad domains

01

Critical minerals & rare earths

Cleaner recycling and mining hydrometallurgical circuits.

02

Bioenergy & biochemicals

Enhanced valorisation of biomass and waste streams.

03

Food, feed & pharma

SMM-boosted precision fermentation and enzymatic processes.

04

Environmental remediation

Advanced separation and recovery of contaminants and residual value.

Now seeking partners

We're looking for global pilot partners

If you run a process limited by fouling, feed complexity, or costly purification, we'd like to pilot SMM with you in one of these domains:

·Rare-earth element (REE) extraction ·Battery black-mass separation ·Lignocellulose valorisation ·Protein-rich waste streams — food & feed ·PFAS removal from contaminated soil
Get in touch

Let's explore a pilot

Tell us about your stream and the bottleneck you're hitting.

pilot at ligrin dot com