Synthesis, fabrication, and application of nanocomposite polymers in different form (as membrane/filter coatings, as beads, or as porous sponges) for the removal of microorganisms, heavy metals, organic, and inorganic chemicals from different contaminated water sources.

The disclosure generally relates to reactive electrochemical membranes (REMs); and in particular, to asymmetric reactive electrochemical membranes to be used for aqueous separations and membrane fouling regeneration.

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.

A gas separation membrane comprising the following layers: (i) a porous support layer; and (ii) a discriminating layer comprising groups of the Formula (1): M(O).sub.x, wherein: M is a metal or metalloid atom; O is an oxygen atom; and x has a value of at least 4; optionally (iii) a layer which comprises a fluorinated polymer; and optionally (iv) optionally a protective layer; wherein: (a) the porous support layer (i) comprises less than 10 mg/m.sup.2 of monovalent metal ions; (b) the discriminating layer (ii) comprises a surface comprising at least 10 atomic % of M of Formula (1) groups, wherein M is as hereinbefore defined; and (c) when layer (iii) is present, layer (ii) is located between layers (i) and (iii).

A composite membrane including an organic polymer matrix and a plurality of porous inorganic particles is disclosed, wherein each of the porous inorganic particles has a plurality of pores arranged while forming a channel in a predetermined direction, and wherein an average length of the porous inorganic particles in a direction parallel to the channel is less than three times the average maximum length of the porous inorganic particles in the direction perpendicular to the channel.

Articles are described including a first microfiltration membrane layer having a first major surface and a second major surface disposed opposite the first major surface, and a first silica layer directly attached to the first major surface of the first microfiltration membrane layer. The first silica layer includes a polymeric binder and acid-sintered interconnected silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. A method of making an article is also described, including providing a first microfiltration membrane layer having a first major surface and a second major surface disposed opposite the first major surface, and forming a first silica layer on the first major surface.

A co-cast thin film composite flat sheet membrane is provided that comprises an asymmetric porous non-selective support layer with a thickness of 10-50 micrometers and an asymmetric integrally skinned polyimide-containing selective layer with a thickness of 5-40 micrometers on top of said support layer, wherein said asymmetric integrally skinned polyimide-containing selective layer comprises a porous non-selective polyimide-containing support layer with a thickness of 5-40 micrometers and a relatively porous, thin, dense, polyimide-containing top skin layer with a thickness of 0.02-0.2 micrometers.

The present invention relates to a water extraction system comprising a flow cell comprising a membrane; said membrane comprising an active layer comprising immobilized aquaporin water channels and a support layer, and said membrane having a feed side and a non-feed side; and an aqueous source solution in fluid communication with the feed side of the membrane.

A gas separation membrane containing a matrix resin and hyperbranched polymer- or dendrimer-bound, heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles, which are formed of heteromorphous shaped silica nanoparticles having surfaces onto which a hyperbranched polymer or a dendrimer is chemically added.

Provided herein are filtration membranes for water treatment, and methods for preventing fouling of such membranes. The method described herein comprises grafting the membrane surface with an organic moiety, by reacting the surface with an organometallic reagent, a phosphonate, a phosphinate, or an organosilane.