The invention proceeds from a filter device which is provided for stabilising a liquid, having at least one filter unit, a membrane filter unit, which has at least one filter element and at least one integrated stabiliser.

It is proposed that the filter unit has at least one further integrated stabiliser.

It is proposed in a further aspect of the invention that the filter device comprises at least one first precursor which is provided for forming the filter element at least partially, and the same first precursor is provided for forming the stabiliser at least partially.

Disclosed is a membrane surface modification method. The method is applicable to a variety of hydrophobic membranes by doping selected inorganic particles. One act of the method involves the in-situ embedment of the inorganic particles onto the membrane surface by dispersing the particles in a non-solvent bath for polymer precipitation. Further membrane surface modification can be achieved by hydrothermally growing new inorganic phase on the embedded particles. The embedment of particles is for the subsequent phase growth.

An extracorporeal system for liver dialysis comprises a filter device having hollow fibers with integrated ion-exchange particles and hydrophobic adsorbent particles in the filtrate space. The system can be used for the treatment of acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure.

Thermally responsive materials, porous membranes comprising the thermally responsive materials, and batteries incorporating the porous membranes as thermally responsive separation membranes are provided. Also provided are methods of making the thermally responsive materials. The thermally responsive materials comprise upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers covalently bound to a support substrate.

Thermally responsive materials, porous membranes comprising the thermally responsive materials, and batteries incorporating the porous membranes as thermally responsive separation membranes are provided. Also provided are methods of making the thermally responsive materials. The thermally responsive materials comprise upper critical solution temperature (UCST) polymers covalently bound to a support substrate.

A porous material structure and device are described and shown to enhance the mass transfer and/or heat transfer at low pressure drops for removal of certain molecular species from a fluid by adsorption and/or catalytic reaction. The porous structure of active materials comprising packed fine particles of adsorbents or catalysts is encapsulated with a thin membrane to provide large interfacing area with the fluid per unit volume for rapid mass transfer between the porous structure and fluid. The thin membrane also blocks particulate from getting into the porous structure of the active material. For the process involving significant heat of adsorption and/or reaction, the another surface of the porous structure of the active material is encapsulated with a thin non-permeable sheet to interface with a thermal fluid for rapid heat transfer between the porous structure and the thermal fluid. The device can be used for removal of CO.sub.2, moisture, and hydrocarbon molecules from a gas stream with rapid in-situ regeneration. The device can be used for removal of water from water-containing liquid fluids, such as solvents and oils. The device can be used for removal of bacteria, virus, salts, and molecular contaminants from one water simultaneously.

A lower chamber is to contain a culture that emits a volatile organic compound. A sensor is within an upper chamber. A transport accelerator/selector transports the volatile organic compound in the lower chamber towards the sensor.

A separation membrane module includes a monolith type reactor, a housing, an annular first sealing portion and an annular second sealing portion. The monolith type reactor extends in a longitudinal direction and is configured to be used for a conversion reaction for converting a source gas into a liquid fuel. The annular first sealing portion seals a gap between the housing and a first end portion of the reactor in the longitudinal direction. The annular second sealing portion seals a gap between the housing and a second end portion of the reactor in the longitudinal direction. The first sealing portion is deformable or movable in the longitudinal direction together with the reactor. The second sealing portion fixes the reactor to the housing.

The present invention is directed to asymmetric membranes and methods for making such membranes, wherein the membranes have a void volume and nanoparticles located in the void volume. The membranes have a variety of applications, including blood purification, water purification, water decontamination and bioprocessing.

The present disclosure provides various embodiments of asymmetric thermal diffusion membranes, devices, systems, and methods. Chemically asymmetric membranes comprise chemical potential gradients allowing for thermally driven asymmetrical diffusion of chemical species. Devices and systems may comprise thermally driven chemically asymmetric membranes and to utilize thermal ambient energy for chemical separation, concentration, dilution as well as for energy generation and storage.