The present invention relates to a new method for creating nanopores in single layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS.sub.2) nanosheets (NSs) by the electrospray deposition (ESD) of silver ions on a water suspension of the former. Electrospray deposited silver ions react with the MoS.sub.2 NSs at the liquid-air interface resulting in Ag.sub.2S nanoparticles (NPs) which goes into the solution leaving the NSs with holes of 3-5 nm diameter. Specific reaction with the S of MoS.sub.2 NSs leads to Mo-rich edges. Such Mo-rich defects are highly efficient for the generation of active oxygen species such as H.sub.2O.sub.2, under visible light, which causes efficient disinfection of water. The holey MoS.sub.2 NSs shows 10.sup.5 times higher efficiency in disinfection compared to normal MoS.sub.2 NSs. Developed a conceptual prototype and tested with multiple bacterial strains and a viral strain, demonstrating the utility of the method for practical applications.

An industrial wastewater filtration membrane and method for manufacture is disclosed herein. The membrane has three layers: a support layer of nonwoven fabric such as PET, a polysulfone nanofiber filtering membrane layer, and a nanoporous polyamide active separating layer. The polysulfone layer is electrospun onto the support layer. The polyamide layer is electrosprayed onto the polysulfone layer. The resulting membrane has a pure water flux rate of at 0.48 MPa that is between 40-200 liters per square meter per hour, a rejection rate of sodium chloride of 10-85% with inlet sodium chloride concentration of 2000 ppm, and a rejection rate of magnesium sulphate of 80-97% with inlet magnesium sulphate concentration of 2000 ppm.

A novel or improved base film for impregnation, impregnated base film, product incorporating the impregnated base film, and/or related methods as shown, claimed or described herein.

A water filtration membrane is provided, capable of removing heavy metal ions, filtering out particulates, filtering out bacteria, as well as removing herbicides and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from water. The membrane is composed of a mat of randomly oriented nanoparticle-coated nanofibers. The nanofibers are covalently bonded to a plurality of substantially uniformly-distributed ceramic nanoparticles embedded in or adhered on the surface of the polymer nanofibers through reactive functional groups. The ceramic nanoparticles have a pattern of deep grooves formed on the nanoparticle surfaces. The bonding of the nanoparticles to the nanofibers is sufficient to retain the nanoparticles on the nanofiber surfaces when water flows through the water filtration membrane. The diameter of the nanofibers is 50-200 nm. The size of the nanoparticles is <40 nm, with a zeta potential of 40 to 45 mV in a dispersion medium. The nanoparticle deep grooves have an average size of approximately 1.2 nm or less.

The present invention provides a preparation method for a composite porous structure, comprising the following steps: step (a): preparing a porous substrate having multiple pores, a first surface and a second surface; and step (b): continuously feeding a cooling fluid to contact the first surface and to flow continuously to the second surface through the pores of the porous substrate, and heating a coating material to multiple molten particles by a heat source and spraying the molten particles onto the second surface of the porous substrate, so as to form a coating layer having multiple micropores on the second surface of the porous substrate and obtain the composite porous structure formed. Besides, also provided is a composite porous structure prepared by the preparation method.

A method is disclosed for preventing carbon nanotube degradation in ionizable environments. The method includes immersing a porous thin-film nanotube (CNT)/polymer composite Joule heating element in an ionizable environment; and applying an alternating current at a frequency of at least 100 Hz to the porous thin-film nanotube (CNT)/polymer composite Joule heating element in the ionizable environment.

Provided are a micro-needle patch and a manufacturing method thereof. The micro-needle patch includes: a support on one surface of which grooves are formed; a gel membrane for delivery of a transmitter to be transferred in which the grooves are filled with a mixture of the transmitter with a biodegradable resin, the mixture being in a gel phase; a plurality of micro-needles projected on the other surface of the support and for penetrating the skin; a first protective film that covers the gel membrane and is adhered on the support; and a second protective film that covers the plurality of micro-needles and is adhered on the other surface, wherein passages are formed by being penetrated from the support to each of the plurality of micro-needles or formed by penetrating the support between the plurality of micro-needles, so that the transmitter of the gel membrane is transferred to the skin.

The present invention is a method of automated nanoparticle spraying and an apparatus for same. In one embodiment, the nanoparticles are sprayed over reinforced fabrics, such as for the manufacturing of composite materials. The developed method can control the amount of nanoparticles to be added to the composites with the capability to selectively reinforce localized areas of the fabrics based on the load distribution for a given application.

Nanofiltration membranes and methods of using and making thereof are disclosed. The nanofiltration membranes contain a silk layer, a porous substrate, and a selective layer. The silk layer is an interlayer sandwiched between the porous substrate and selective layer. The nanofiltration membranes have high performance for filtering water, such as improved water permeance and/or high ion removal rate. For example, the nanofiltration show a water permeance that is at least 2-fold, such as about 5-fold, of the water permeance of a commercially available nanofiltration membrane, such as DuPont FilmTec? NF270 and/or DuPont FilmTec? NF90, and an ion rejection of at least 70% against a target ion, such as a divalent or multivalent ion. The greatly improved water permeance of the nanofiltration membranes can result in up to a magnitude lower energy consumption in water filtration applications.

A novel or improved base film for impregnation, impregnated base film, product incorporating the impregnated base film, and/or related methods as shown, claimed or described herein.