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

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a water treatment separation membrane, the method including: forming an aqueous solution layer including an amine compound on a porous support; and bringing an organic solution including an acyl halide compound into contact with on the aqueous solution layer to form a polyamide active layer, in which the organic solution includes a non-polar solvent and an amphiphilic solvent having a boiling point of 120° C. or more, thereby improving a permeation flux, and a water treatment separation membrane manufactured by the manufacturing method.

A semi-porous composite membrane and a method of manufacturing the semi-porous composite membrane. The semi-porous composite membrane includes a base supporting substrate comprising α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3, an outer layer comprising silica, and an intermediate layer comprising crystalline fibers of boehmite, and at least one of a secondary metal oxide and a synthetic polymer, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed between the base supporting substrate and the outer layer. The crystalline fibers of boehmite are a length of 5-150 nm. The semi-porous composite membrane may be employed in membrane reactors.

A method for preparing a thin or thick film, including the aligning non-spherical seed crystals on a flat portion of at least one surface of the substrate such that an a-axis, a b-axis, and/or a c-axis are oriented according to a certain rule; and exposing the aligned seed crystals to a solution for enabling the growth of the seed crystals to thereby form and grow a film from the seed crystals using a secondary growing technique.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a porous polymer film having a controlled pore depth, and a porous polymer film prepared thereby. A method for preparing a porous polymer film according to the present invention allows the pore depth of a porous film to be controlled simply and at a low cost, and thus allows adjustment of the light reflectance of the prepared film. A large-area film can be prepared by means of a simple method and thus can be applied to various industry fields. Films having different reflectance can be prepared and thus can be applied as low-reflection and high-reflection films for solar cells, and also as a low-reflection or high-reflection thin polymer film in the construction field or material and equipment field.

A method for producing a microporous material comprising the steps of: providing an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE); providing a filler; providing a processing plasticizer; adding the filler to the UHMWPE in a mixture being in the range of from about 1:9 to about 15:1 filler to UHMWPE by weight; adding the processing plasticizer to the mixture; extruding the mixture to form a sheet from the mixture; calendering the sheet; extracting the processing plasticizer from the sheet to produce a matrix comprising UHMWPE and the filler distributed throughout the matrix; stretching the microporous material in at least one direction to a stretch ratio of at least about 1.5 to produce a stretched microporous matrix; and subsequently calendering the stretched microporous matrix to produce a microporous material which exhibits improved physical and dimensional stability properties over the stretched microporous matrix.

The present disclosure discloses a functional fluid gating control system, which comprises a porous membrane and a functional fluid. The functional fluid at least partially infiltrates the porous membrane and cooperates to form a fluid gating pathway. The functional fluid and/or the porous membrane responds to at least one stimulus and undergoes a physical change or a chemical change to change the threshold pressure of the transport substance. A transport fluid being immiscible with the functional fluid is controlled to pass through the fluid gating system, and thus controllable transport and multiphase separation of materials are achieved. The stimulus of the present disclosure comprises a wide range of sources, and the stimulus responsiveness of the functional fluid and the porous membrane can be randomly and freely combined to adapt to multiple stimuli from complex external conditions and achieve intelligent controllability.

A hollow-fiber membrane is presented. The hollow fiber membrane, includes a copolymer including sulfone structural units having a formula (I) and zwitterion-functionalized structural units having a formula (II). Method of making the hollow-fiber membrane is also presented.