The present invention relates to synthetic membranes and use of these synthetic membranes for isolation of volatile organic compounds and purification of water. The synthetic membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer. The invention includes a method of isolating volatile organic compounds with the synthetic membrane by contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation. The invention also includes a method of purifying water with the synthetic membrane by contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis. The invention also relates to methods of isolating non-polar gases by gas fractionation.

Methods are generally provided for forming a membrane. In one embodiment, the method includes: dispersing GO nanoparticles in a solvent; depositing the GO nanoparticles on a support to form a GO membrane; and reducing the GO membrane to form a rGO membrane. Also provided is the rGO membrane formed from such methods, along with a plurality of stacked rGO layers. Methods are also provided for separating water from a water/oil emulsion by, for example, passing water through the rGO membrane.

A protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane has a gas separation membrane that satisfies specific conditions such as having a resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond, a protective layer located on the resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond of the gas separation membrane, and a porous layer on the protective layer. The protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane is produced. A gas separation membrane module and a gas separation apparatus have the protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane.

A method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane includes forming a gas separation membrane having a resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond and satisfying a particular condition by surface oxidation treatment of a resin layer precursor containing a siloxane bond; and providing a protective layer on the resin layer before winding. A protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane is produced by the method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane. A gas separation membrane module and a gas separation apparatus are produced by the method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane.

An apparatus for fabricating a graphene membrane includes a first section having a first fluid chamber for housing a suspension of graphene platelets in a fluid. A second section is positionable adjacent the first section. The second section has a second fluid chamber and a porous support housed in the second fluid chamber for supporting a porous substrate. When the first section is positioned adjacent to the second section and the porous substrate is supported by the porous support, the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber are in fluid communication via the porous substrate. The apparatus further includes a pressurizer for creating a pressure differential between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber and thereby forcing the fluid through the porous substrate and into the second fluid chamber and lodging the graphene platelets in the pores of the porous substrate.

A method for the manufacture of a carbon nanomembrane is disclosed. The method comprises preparing a metallised polymer substrate and applying on the metallised polymer substrate a monolayer prepared from an aromatic molecule. The aromatic molecule is cross-linked to form a carbon nanomembrane. The carbon nanomembrane is coated by a protective layer and subsequently the carbon nanomembrane and the protective layer are released from the metallised polymer substrate. Finally, the carbon nanomembrane and the protective layer are optionally placed on a support. The protective layer can be optionally removed. The carbon nanomembrane can be used for filtration.

A radiation-curable composition comprising: a) 10 to 65 wt % of curable ionic compound(s) comprising one ethylenically unsaturated group; b) 3 to 60 wt % of crosslinking agent(s) comprising at least two ethylenically unsaturated groups and having a number average molecular weight below 800; c) 5 to 55 wt % of inert solvent(s) having a boiling point above 100? C.; d) 0 to 10 wt % of free-radical initiator(s); and e) 0.5 to 25 wt % of thickening agent(s).

The invention includes methods of reversibly tuning the effective pore size and/or solute rejection selectivity of a nanoporous lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) polymer membrane. The membranes of the invention have high levels of pore size uniformity, allowing for size discrimination separation, and may be used for separation processes such as liquid-phase separations.

There is provided an ion selective membrane comprising a polymer matrix and an ionic lipophilic additive covalently bonded to the polymer matrix. There are also provided a method of preparing the ion selective membrane, an ion selective electrode comprising the ion selective membrane and a method of preparing the ion selective electrode.

The present invention provides a thermosetting method to form a porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane, wherein a heat flow in a heat circulating environment is provided to ensure the porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane is heated uniformly. A thermal heating radiation plat is further used that being heated by the heat flow to generate a far-infrared radiation for providing an enhanced heating effect without extra energy consuming sources. The thermosetting method of porous polytetrafluoroethylene membrane not only maintain a uniformity temperature inside the heating compartment, stabilize the quality of the polytetrafluoroethylene porous membrane, but also make the thermosetting process more efficiently without using extra energy input.