A nanocomposite including a mesoporous, macroporous, or a combination thereof oxide and a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) that is filling the pores of the oxide to form a ZIF phase embedded and at least substantially confined mostly within the oxide. Methods of making nanocomposites including the steps of depositing an oxide in the pores of a mesoporous oxide; and further treating the resulting material with vapor, liquid, or supercritical CO.sub.2 comprising an azole-based compound, a carboxylate based compound, or a combination thereof. Use of disclosed articles to separate propylene and propane in a mixture thereof.

The present invention relates to an ionic liquid-containing structure including an ionic liquid composed of a pair of a cation and an anion, in which a HOMO energy level of the anion is higher than an LUMO energy level of the cation, and a difference between the HOMO energy level of the anion and the LUMO energy level of the cation is 0.2 a.u. or more.

The object of the present invention is to provide a porous membrane by which a useful component can be recovered while suppressing the clogging during filtration of a protein solution and from which only a small amount of an eluate is eluted even when an aqueous solution is filtered. The present invention provides a porous membrane containing a hydrophobic polymer and a water-insoluble hydrophilic polymer, the porous membrane having a dense layer in the downstream portion of filtration in the membrane, having a gradient asymmetric structure in which the average pore diameter of fine pores increases from the downstream portion of filtration toward the upstream portion of filtration, and having a gradient index of the average pore diameter from the dense layer to the coarse layer of 0.5 to 12.0.

The object of the present invention is to provide a porous membrane by which a useful component can be recovered while suppressing the clogging during filtration of a protein solution and from which only a small amount of an eluate is eluted even when an aqueous solution is filtered. The present invention provides a porous membrane containing a hydrophobic polymer and a water-insoluble hydrophilic polymer, the porous membrane having a dense layer in the downstream portion of filtration in the membrane, having a gradient asymmetric structure in which the average pore diameter of fine pores increases from the downstream portion of filtration toward the upstream portion of filtration, and having a gradient index of the average pore diameter from the dense layer to the coarse layer of 0.5 to 12.0.

Provided is a method for removing CO.sub.2 comprising: supplying a gas to be processed containing CO.sub.2, N.sub.2 and O.sub.2 to a feed side of a CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 selective permeation membrane within a temperature range of 15° C. to 50° C.; generating water vapor and supplying the water vapor to the CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 selective permeation membrane; selectively removing CO.sub.2 from the gas to be processed by permeating CO.sub.2 in the gas to be processed from the feed side to a permeate side of the CO.sub.2 selective permeation membrane selectively to O.sub.2 and N.sub.2 in the gas to be processed; and using a CO.sub.2 facilitated transport membrane having CO.sub.2/O.sub.2 selectivity and CO.sub.2/N.sub.2 selectivity within the temperature range as the CO.sub.2 selective permeation membrane, the CO.sub.2 facilitated transport membrane being configured with a hydrophilic polymer containing an amino acid and a deprotonating agent for preventing protonation of an amino group of the amino acid supported by a porous membrane, wherein a CO.sub.2 concentration in the gas to be processed is 3 mol % or less on a dry basis.

A gas separation membrane includes a composite membrane, the composite membrane including: a gas separation functional layer; and a compound having a composition different from a compound constituting the gas separation functional layer, wherein the presence ratio of the gas separation functional layer at at least one surface of the gas separation membrane is not less than 90% and less than 100%. Provided is a gas separation membrane capable of suppressing damage of the gas separation functional layer during the preparation process of a gas separation membrane module or during the use of a gas separation membrane module even when the gas separation functional layer includes a site having low strength.

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus that uses a brine from a well that is used to both generate electricity and recover valuable minerals present in the brine. The method and apparatus uses a hydrophobic membrane to separate water vapor from the brine to concentrate the brine that is then used to recover the minerals.

Disclosed herein is a method and apparatus that uses a brine from a well that is used to both generate electricity and recover valuable minerals present in the brine. The method and apparatus uses a hydrophobic membrane to separate water vapor from the brine to concentrate the brine that is then used to recover the minerals.

Described are devices for purifying a liquid that is contained in a sealable container, to storage systems for containing and purifying a liquid, and to related methods.

Described are devices for purifying a liquid that is contained in a sealable container, to storage systems for containing and purifying a liquid, and to related methods.