Provided are a CO.sub.2 gas separation membrane, a method for manufacturing the same, and a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane module including the same, the CO.sub.2 gas separation membrane including: a first layer (A) containing at least one alkali metal compound selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal carbonate, an alkali metal bicarbonate and an alkali metal hydroxide, and a first resin in which a polymer having a carboxyl group has been crosslinked; a second layer (B) containing at least one of the alkali metal compounds, and a second resin having a structural unit derived from a vinyl ester of a fatty acid; and a hydrophobic porous membrane (C).

The present disclosure is directed to ultrafiltration membranes based on bacterial nanocellulose and graphene oxide. In particular, the present disclosure is directed to the novel design and incorporation of membranes for realizing new, highly efficient, and environmentally-friendly anti-biofouling membranes for water purification.

The invention provides a filtration membrane which comprises a porous support and, covalently bonded to a surface thereof, a layer comprising a plurality of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer; characterised in that within said layer, vesicles are covalently linked together to form a coherent mass. The membrane may be prepared by a process which comprises providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of a porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between different vesicles and between vesicles and said surface.

Metal-binding proteins, such as metallothionein proteins, are disclosed for removing metals from substrates in need of having such metals removed therefrom. Specifically, metallothionein proteins according to SEQ ID NO:1, 2, or 9-20 are disclosed for removing metals from liquid substrates. Associated methods for removing metals from substrates using metallothionein proteins are also disclosed.

In one embodiment, a product includes a plurality of carbon nanotubes and a fill material in interstitial spaces between the carbon nanotubes for limiting or preventing fluidic transfer between opposite sides of the product except through interiors of the carbon nanotubes. Moreover, the longitudinal axes of the carbon nanotubes are substantially parallel, where an average inner diameter of the carbon nanotubes is about 20 nanometers or less. In addition, the ends of the carbon nanotubes are open and the fill material is impermeable or having an average porosity that is less than the average inner diameter of the carbon nanotubes.

Disclosed are nanocomposite membranes and methods for making and using same. In one aspect, the nanocomposite membrane comprises a film comprising a polymer matrix and nanoparticles disposed within the polymer matrix, wherein the film is substantially permeable to water and substantially impermeable to impurities. In a further aspect, the membrane can further comprise a hydrophilic layer. In a further aspect, the nanocomposite membrane comprises a film having a face, the film comprising a polymer matrix, a hydrophilic layer proximate to the face, and nanoparticles disposed within the hydrophilic layer, wherein the film is substantially permeable to water and substantially impermeable to impurities. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

A vesicle incorporate a transmembrane protein, the vesicle forming material including a mixture of poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) and polyetheramine. The vesicle can generally withstand elevated temperature without substantial shrinkage of the diameter, which in turn results in maintenance of the water permeability virtually unaffected. Pluronic based vesicles have a large content of amino groups available on the surface illustrated by the larger zeta potential values available for crosslinking in the polyamide layer by chemical reaction with trimesoyl chloride (TMC).

Disclosed herein are composite membranes comprising an omniphobic substrate having a reentrant structure. The omniphobic substrate comprises a plurality of pores, the plurality of pores forming the reentrant structure. The omniphobic substrate further comprises a surface, the surface being coated with a dual functional layer that is hydrophilic in air and oleophobic under water, such that the composite membrane has a top portion and a bottom portion, the top portion comprising the coated surface of the omniphobic substrate, such that the top portion of the composite membrane is hydrophilic in air and oleophobic under water and the bottom portion of the composite membrane is omniphobic. The composite membrane can be antiwetting and/or antifouling in the presence of a hydrophobic contaminant, an amphiphilic contaminant, or a combination thereof. The composite membranes can be used for membrane distillation of a contaminated brine solution.

A hybrid type filtration structure for filtering liquid includes a first active layer, a porous supporting layer and a permeable layer. The first active layer has a first nano pore inner wall of which a function group included compound is combined with. The porous supporting layer has a plurality of pores and is disposed under the first active layer. The permeable layer is disposed under the porous supporting layer. The porous supporting layer includes a plurality of lipid bilayers having membrane protein inside of the pore, a molecule of water selectively passes through the membrane protein. The first nano pore passes through the first active layer vertically. The first nano pore and the pore are connected with each other through which liquid flows.

A method of preparing a hybrid membrane, the method including: evenly mixing a granular material and a dispersant, to yield a dispersion solution; evenly mixing a polymer and an organic solvent, to yield a matrix solution; adding the matrix solution to the dispersion solution to yield a mixed solution; heating the mixed solution to remove the dispersant, to yield a casting solution; and coating the casting solution on a substrate, followed by removal of the organic solvent, to yield a hybrid membrane.