The present invention relates to a porous material in which at least the pores of the porous material are lined with nanoparticles capable of treating fluids or fluid mixtures that pass through the pores of the porous material and whose treating properties can be fully reinstated through heating the porous material.

Composition comprising at least one graphene material and at least one metal. The metal can be in the form of nanoparticles as well as microflakes, including single crystal microflakes. The metal can be intercalated in the graphene sheets. The composition has high conductivity and flexibility. The composition can be made by a one-pot synthesis in which a graphene material precursor is converted to the graphene material, and the metal precursor is converted to the metal. A reducing solvent or dispersant such as NMP can be used. Devices made from the composition include a pressure sensor which has high sensitivity. Two two-dimension materials can be combined to form a hybrid material.

Disclosed herein are hybrid membranes comprising: a microporous polymer, the microporous polymer comprising a continuous polymer phase permeated by a continuous pore phase; and an atomic scale inorganic material dispersed throughout the microporous polymer within the continuous pore phase. Methods of making and use of the hybrid membranes are also disclosed.

There is provided a graphene-based membrane, particularly a free-standing one, comprising: a plurality of partially oxidised few-layer graphene (POFG) sheets; and a polymer for interconnecting the plurality of POFG sheets in a matrix. In the preferred embodiment, the polymer is water-based polymer. There is also provided a method of forming the free-standing graphene-based membrane; and a method of preparing the POFG sheets, comprising: electrochemically exfoliating graphite to form intercalated graphite powder; expanding the intercalated graphite powder to form few-layer graphene (FG); and partially oxidizing the FG with an oxidizing agent for a pre-determined period of time to form POFG sheets.

The present invention relates to the manufacturing of metal organic framework (MOF) containing composite materials, particularly membranes. The inventive process comprises the steps of a phase inversion polymer formation containing pores of precursor materials and in situ formation of MOFs. The invention further relates to new MOF containing membranes; to the use of such membranes in gas separation processes and to devices comprising such membranes.

The present invention provides an intrinsically anti-microbial hollow fiber membrane for filtration of liquids. The membrane comprises a plurality of porous hollow bilayer membrane fibers wherein the liquid enters from outside of the fiber, passing through the porous membrane into the lumen of the fiber and coming out from the hollow ending of the fiber, wherein this configuration provides a liquid outside-in arrangement and retains the filtrate outside. It means that membrane of the invention has built in characteristics to act against microbes in order to provide the use with a safe liquid free from microbes. The outer side or outer wall of the hollow fibers may be configured to become hydrophobic whereas inner side or inner wall of the hollow fiber membrane may be configured to become hydrophilic to enhance the water permeability to a great extent. The hollow fiber membrane may be configured to give it an intrinsic anti-microbial capability. A device containing above said membrane has also been disclosed.

A periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticle functionalized nanocomposite membrane (NCM) for membrane distillation, the NCM including: polymer fibers such as polyetherimide fibers aggregated into a matrix; and hydrophobic PMO nanoparticles disposed on the polymer fibers. The PMO nanoparticles include a framework connected by organic groups and pentafluorophenyl groups. Good membrane flux and anti-fouling was demonstrated. Membranes can be prepared by electrospinning.

A periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) nanoparticle functionalized nanocomposite membrane (NCM) for membrane distillation, the NCM including: polymer fibers such as polyetherimide fibers aggregated into a matrix; and hydrophobic PMO nanoparticles disposed on the polymer fibers. The PMO nanoparticles include a framework connected by organic groups and pentafluorophenyl groups. Good membrane flux and anti-fouling was demonstrated. Membranes can be prepared by electrospinning.

A virus removal membrane includes cellulose, and a primary-side surface through which the protein-containing solution is to be applied and a secondary-side surface from which a permeate that has permeated the virus removal membrane is to be flowed, wherein a bubble point is 0.5 MPa or more and 1.0 MPa or less; and when a solution containing gold colloids having a diameter of 30 nm is applied through the primary-side surface to the virus removal membrane to allow the virus removal membrane to capture the gold colloids for measurement of brightness in a cross section of the virus removal membrane, a value obtained by dividing a standard deviation of a value of an area of a spectrum of variation in the brightness by an average of the value of the area of the spectrum of variation in the brightness is 0.01 or more and 0.30 or less.

A method of manufacturing a membrane can include forming the membrane from a dissolved polymer in the presence of a functionalizing agent; and exposing the functionalizing agent to a nanoparticle to form a modified membrane.