Disclosed are a heterogeneous zeolite membrane and a method of preparing the same, and more particularly a heterogeneous zeolite membrane that has CHA and DDR zeolite structures by growing seed particles into a crystal structure different from that of the zeolite membrane and can thus separate CO.sub.2/N.sub.2 and CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4 even under wet conditions, a method of preparing the same, and a method of capturing and removing carbon dioxide using the membrane.

Molybdenum disulfide membranes for ionic and/or molecular filtration applications are provided. The membranes have high separation performance, including high water flux and high molecule and/or ion rejection, and do not need to be stored in a hydrated condition in order to enable their reuse. The membranes are based on stacked MoS.sub.2 sheets having small hydrophilic organic functional groups covalently bound thereto.

Disclosed herein is a polycrystalline metal-organic framework membrane comprising a substrate material having a surface and a polycrystalline metal-organic framework attached to the surface of the substrate material, wherein the polycrystalline metal-organic framework is formed from a secondary building unit having the formula Ia or IIb and a ligand as defined in the application.

Provided is a high permeance nanofiltration membrane with nanoring-like structure and preparation method thereof. The membrane includes a base film and a polyamide layer having nanoring-like structure morphology on its surface. The method includes: (1) formulating a piperazine nanoemulsion containing a surfactant, vegetable oil, piperazine and water; and (2) infiltrating a base film with the piperazine nanoemulsion, and removing excess droplets from the surface of the base film to obtain a treated base film; covering the surface of the treated base film with a solution of trimesoyl chloride in n-hexane to perform interfacial polymerization; and drying the resulting membrane. Introduction of nano-oil droplets into aqueous phase as templates to construct nanoring-like structure morphology on the surface of the polyamide layer significantly increases the specific surface area and free volume of the polyamide layer without losing the salt rejection rate of the membrane, thereby greatly improving its water permeance.

An oxygenator having a plurality of porous hollow fiber membranes for gas exchange to treat blood is manufactured by dissolving a silicone compound in an organic solvent having a surface tension of less than 70 dyn/cm to prepare a coating solution, and bringing an inner surface of the hollow fiber membranes into contact with the coating solution under a negative pressure of 50 hPa or more and 150 hPa or less to form a silicone compound-containing coating layer on the inner surface. An antithrombotic polymer compound-containing coat can be provided directly on an outer surface of the hollow fiber membranes.

Method for making a porous graphene layer of a thickness of less than 100 nm with pores having an average size in the range of 5-900 nm, includes the following steps: providing a catalytically active substrate catalyzing graphene formation under chemical vapor deposition conditions, the catalytically active substrate in or on its surface being provided with a plurality of catalytically inactive domains having a size essentially corresponding to the size of the pores in the resultant porous graphene layer; chemical vapor deposition using a carbon source in the gas phase and formation of the porous graphene layer on the surface of the catalytically active substrate. The pores in the graphene layer are in situ formed due to the presence of the catalytically inactive domains.

The invention pertains to a polyaryl ether sulfone polymer solution [solution (SP)] comprising: —at least one sulfone polymer [polymer (PSI)] having recurring units, wherein more than 50% moles, with respect to all the recurring units of polymer (PSI), are recurring units (R.sub.PSI) selected from the group consisting of those of formulae (R.sub.PSI-1) and (R.sub.PSI-2) herein below: (R.sub.PSI-1) (R.sub.PSI-2) wherein: —each of E′, equal to or different from each other and at each occurrence, is selected from the group consisting of those of formulae (E′-1) to (E′-3): (E′-I) (E′-II) (E′-III) —each R′ is independently selected from the group consisting of halogen, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, ether, thioether, carboxylic acid, ester, amide, imide, alkali or alkaline earth metal sulfonate, alkyl sulfonate, alkali or alkaline earth metal phosphonate, alkyl phosphonate, amine and quaternary ammonium; and —j′ is zero or an integer of 1 to 4; is a bond or a divalent group optionally comprising one or more than one heteroatom; preferably T is selected from the group consisting of a bond, —CH.sub.2—, —C(O)—, —C(CH.sub.3).sub.2—, —C(CF.sub.3).sub.2—, —C(═CCI.sub.2)—, —C(CH.sub.3)(CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—COOH)—, and a group of formula: (A) —at least one polar organic solvent [solvent (S)]; and —at least one mixture of polyhydroxyl aliphatic alcohols having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or derivatives thereof [mixture (PHA)], said mixture (PHA) comprising at least one ethylene glycol compound [compound (EthyGly)] and at least one glycerol compound [compound (Gly)], to its use for manufacturing membranes, and to membranes obtained therefrom. ##STR00001##

Compositions and methods are described for self-assembled polymer materials having at least one of macro, meso, or micro pores.

A liquid infused membrane includes a porous fluorine-containing polymer membrane and a perfluoropolyether oil coating on at least a portion of the first surface and at least a portion of the pore wall. Advantageously, the liquid infused membrane does not exhibit gating. Methods for the manufacture thereof and uses of the liquid infused membrane are also disclosed.

An electrochemical sensor with an ion-selective membrane that comprises a crosslinked alkyl methacrylate homopolymer or copolymer of two or more alkyl methacrylates 1. with a covalently attached electrically neutral or electrically charged ionophore that is selective for a target cation or anion, or 2. with a covalently attached cationic or anionic ionic site, or 3. with a covalently attached cationic or anionic ionic site and covalently attached electrically neutral or electrically charged ionophore.