The disclosure relates to processes, related polyacid polymers, and related articles for functionalizing a porous membrane by contacting the membrane with a polyacid polymer at low pH to stably adsorb a polyacid layer on the membrane pore surface, in particular polyacid polymers including repeating units with a pendent metal-binding ligand or star polyacid polymers. The resulting functionalized membrane is characterized by a high density of free acid groups, resulting in a higher specific capacity for its intended application. The process allows functionalization of porous membranes in a very simple, one-step process, for example without a need to derivatize an adsorbed polyacid layer to impart metal-binding ligand functionality thereto. Such functional membranes may find multiple uses, including rapid, selective binding of proteins for their purification or immobilization.

The present invention relates to: a polymer composition for preparing a hydrophilic separation membrane, containing sulfonated inorganic particles, preferably, sulfonated titanium dioxide; and a hydrophilic separation membrane prepared therefrom. The hydrophilic separation membrane of the present invention has advantages of having excellent water flux and an excellent antifouling property.

Described herein is a graphene material such as graphene oxide and polymer based selectively permeable element that provides selective permeability between polar and non-polar molecules such as fluid, gas or vapor. The methods for making these selectively permeable elements and related devices are also described.

A carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane having improved separation characteristics for separating olefins from their corresponding paraffins is comprised of carbon with at most trace amounts of sulfur and a group 13 metal. The CMS membrane may be made by pyrolyzing a precursor polymer devoid of sulfur in which the precursor polymer has had a group 13 metal incorporated into it, wherein the metal is in a reduced state. The pyrolyzing for the precursor having the group 13 metal incorporated into it is performed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere and at a heating rate and temperature such that the metal in a reduced state (e.g., covalently bonded to carbon or nitrogen or in the metal state).

A porous membrane which has a sponge-like morphology. The porous membrane contains imidazole- and benzimidazole-based metal-organic framework fillers embedded in a polymer matrix. Methods of fabricating the porous membrane via steps including solvent casting and coagulating are described. Methods of separating gases using the porous membrane are also provided.

The porous hollow fiber membrane of the present invention contains a thermoplastic resin, and includes a surface having a surface porosity of 32 to 60% and a fine pore diameter of 300 nm or less, and has a compressive strength of 0.7 MPa or more. The porous hollow fiber membrane of the present invention may include at least two layers, and in this case, the surface of one layer has a thickness of backbone of 0.3 to 20 m and a fine pore diameter of 0.3 to 10 m, and the surface of the other layer has a surface porosity of 32 to 60% and a fine pore diameter of 0.05 to 0.3 m.

A method of making a metal organic framework (MOF)-polymer composite material includes forming a homogeneous solution comprising a solvent, a metal salt, a polymer which is soluble in the solvent, and a reactant which can be synthesized to provide an organic linker during formation of a MOF structure, synthesizing the homogeneous solution to crystallize a MOF structure in the homogenous solution to yield the MOF structure distributed in a remainder solution, applying an antisolvent to the remainder solution with the MOF structure distributed in the remainder solution to form a polymer-rich phase, where the MOF structure is integrated into the polymer matrix during forming of the polymer matrix to produce a MOF-polymer composite material. The MOF-polymer composite material can be formed on a substrate to produce a MOF structured object, which can be a membrane, film, or other object.

This invention provides a new high selectivity stable facilitated transport membrane comprising a polyethersulfone (PES)/polyethylene oxide-polysilsesquioxane (PEO-Si) blend support membrane, a hydrophilic polymer inside the pores on the skin layer surface of the PES/PEO-Si blend support membrane; a hydrophilic polymer coated on the skin layer surface of the PES/PEO-Si blend support membrane, and metal salts incorporated in the hydrophilic polymer coating layer and the skin layer surface pores of the PES/PEO-Si blend support membrane, and methods of making such membranes. This invention also provides a method of using the high selectivity stable facilitated transport membrane comprising PES/PEO-Si blend support membrane for olefin/paraffin separations such as propylene/propane and ethylene/ethane separations.

Described herein is a graphene and polyvinyl alcohol based multilayer composite membrane that provides selective resistance for solutes to pass the membrane while providing water permeability. A selectively permeable membrane comprising a crosslinked graphene with a polyvinyl alcohol and silica-nanoparticle layer that can provide enhanced salt separation from water, methods for making such membranes, and methods of using the membranes for dehydrating or removing solutes from water are also described.

Disclosed herein are ceramic selective membranes and methods of forming the ceramic selective membranes by forming a selective silica ceramic on a porous membrane substrate.