This disclosure relates to functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) and polymeric membranes containing the functionalized POSS. This disclosure also relates to methods of using the membranes for natural gas liquid recovery, such as removal and recovery of C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons from natural gas.

A porous membrane is made from a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer containing 10 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol and 60 to 90 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol; and a block copolymer containing backbone or pendant blocks of poly(C.sub.2-4 alkylene oxide). The porous membrane is made by dissolving the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer in a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent to form a membrane-forming composition; and phase-inverting the membrane forming-composition in a first non-solvent composition to form the porous membrane. A method of making a hollow fiber by coextrusion through a spinneret having an annulus and a bore, includes coextruding the membrane-forming composition through the annulus, and a first non-solvent composition through the bore, into a second non-solvent composition to form the hollow fiber.

A separation module that includes a porous membrane, where the porous membrane includes a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer containing 10 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol and 60 to 90 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol; and a block copolymer containing backbone or pendant blocks of poly(C.sub.2-4 alkylene oxide). The separation module can be used in devices for wastewater treatment, water purification, desalination, separating water-insoluble oil from oil-containing wastewater, membrane distillation, sugar purification, protein concentration, enzyme recovery, dialysis, liver dialysis, or blood oxygenation.

Porous hollow fiber membranes having a low molecular weight cut-off, processes for their production, and their use for separation tasks in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutical technology and food processing.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for polystyrene-b-polyethylene oxide (PS-b-PEO) block copolymer nanoporous membranes, methods of making a PS-b-PEO block copolymer nanoporous membrane, methods of using PS-b-PEO block copolymer nanoporous membranes, and the like.

Hollow fiber membranes having improved toughness and durability are prepared using a vinylidene fluoride polymer-containing component, such as Kynaro resins, having relatively low crystallinity. One aspect of the invention provides a membrane in the form of a fiber, wherein i) the fiber has a porous wall of a polymeric component enclosing a central hollow space extending the length of the fiber, ii) the polymeric component has a crystallinity as determined by wide angle x-ray diffraction of less than about 35%, iii) the polymeric component is comprised of at least one homopolymer or copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and iv) the membrane has an energy to break of at least about 0.5 J per square mm of membrane cross section.

A method suppresses membrane thickness variation and air resistance variation after a compression at 60° C. or 80° C. Stretching is performed at least twice in at least different axial directions before the extraction of the solvent, and at the same time, at least one of (i) and (ii) is satisfied. (i) The step (c) is a first stretching step of stretching the sheet-shaped product at least once in a sheet transport direction (MD direction) and at least once in a sheet width direction (TD direction) individually, and the MD stretching magnification and the TD stretching magnification in the step (c) satisfy (TD stretching magnification≥MD stretching magnification−2). (ii) The stretching temperature (T1) of a first axial stretching performed firstly in the step (c) and the maximal stretching temperature (T2) of a second stretching performed after the first axial stretching satisfy (T1−T2≥0).

A composition of five parts by mass of chitosan and one part graphene oxide is suspended in water. The composition may be used to form filtration layers of any size or shape and may be reinforced by additional layers. The composition may be used to construct a large filtration apparatus of any size or shape and may be used to form highly resilient, antimicrobial structures and surfaces for a variety of applications.

A method of preparing a membrane comprising the steps of: a) mixing together a membrane-forming polymer, a water-soluble polyetheramine, and a solvent, said mixture containing no component which will react chemically with the polyetheramine; and b) casting said mixture to form the polymer into a solid membrane.

The present invention provides an asymmetric modified CMS hollow fiber membrane having improved gas separation performance properties and a process for preparing an asymmetric modified CMS hollow fiber membrane having improved gas separation performance properties. The process comprises treating a polymeric precursor fiber with a solution containing a modifying agent prior to pyrolysis. The concentration of the modifying agent in the solution may be selected in order to obtain an asymmetric modified CMS hollow fiber membrane having a desired combination of gas permeance and selectivity properties. The treated precursor fiber is then pyrolyzed to form an asymmetric modified CMS hollow fiber membrane having improved gas permeance.