A system and method to increase surface friction across a hydrophobic, anti-fouling, and oleophobic coated substrate. The substrate has a hydrophobic surface defined by a surface friction. The system works to increases the surface friction, or roughness, across the hydrophobic surface. The increase in surface friction is accomplished by generating power through an ion source to create an ion cloud. The ion cloud is generated in proximity to the substrate. The ions interact with the hydrophobic surface to create a roughing effect thereon. A gas carrier device introduces an inert carrier gas through the ion cloud to increase density of the ions, which in turn increases surface friction. The system is variable, selectively increasing and decreasing surface friction by: varying the duration that the hydrophobic surface is exposed to the ion cloud; varying power applied to ion source; and varying distance between the ion cloud and the hydrophobic surface.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) and laser-induced graphene scrolls (LIGS) materials and, more particularly to LIGS, methods of making LIGS (such as from polyimide (PI)), laser-induced removal of LIG and LIGS, and 3D printing of LIG and LIGS using a laminated object manufacturing (LOM) process.

In a first aspect, the present disclosure relates to a method for forming a diamond membrane, comprising: providing a substrate having an amorphous dielectric layer thereon, the amorphous dielectric layer comprising an exposed surface, the exposed surface having an isoelectric point of less than 7, preferably at most 6; seeding diamond nanoparticles onto the exposed surface; growing a diamond layer from the seeded diamond nanoparticles; and removing a portion of the substrate from underneath the diamond layer, the removed portion extending at least up to the amorphous dielectric layer, thereby forming the diamond membrane over the removed portion.

A multidimensional printer makes a multidimensional structure from a liquid composition and includes: an energetic crosslinking particle source; a vacuum chamber that receives energetic crosslinking particles from the energetic crosslinking particle source; a membrane that transmits the energetic crosslinking particles; and a sample chamber that: receives a liquid composition that includes a solvent and polymers, the polymers including a cross-linkable moiety subjected to the energetic crosslinking particles such that portions of the polymers proximate to the cross-linkable moieties subjected to the energetic crosslinking particles crosslink to form a solid crosslinked polymer structure, wherein the membrane isolates a vacuum of the vacuum chamber from vapor of the liquid composition in the sample chamber.

The present invention relates to a layered semipermeable membrane satisfying the conditions below. (A) The maximum peak intensity between 3700 and 2900 cm.sup.1 is 0.08 or greater in the difference spectrum between an IR spectrum measured at 25 C. and 97% relative humidity and an IR spectrum measured at 25 C. and 3% relative humidity. (B) The peak top wavenumber between 3700 and 2900 cm.sup.1 of the aforementioned difference spectrum is 3400 cm.sup.1 to 3550 cm.sup.1. (C) The N1s peak has a maximum value at 401 eV or greater in X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in which X-rays are radiated to a coat layer.

A method for manufacturing a porous device (10) is described. The method comprises creating (340) a carbon nanomembrane (40) on a top surface (22) of a base material (20) having latent pores (23) and etching (360) the latent pores (23) in the base material(20) to form open pores (24). The porous device (10) can be used as a filtration device.

An isoporous membrane includes a multiblock copolymer film. The multiblock copolymer is crosslinked, and the film has a toughness of at least 50 kJ/m.sup.3 as a free-standing film when wet, as measured by integrating the area under a stress-strain curve for the film. Methods of forming isoporous membranes are also included.

A filtration membrane that includes a porous substrate layer and an active layer arranged over at least a part of the substrate layer. The active layer comprises a metal-organic framework (MOF). Also disclosed are methods for of producing a filtration membrane and uses of the filtration membrane for water treatment.

Described is a polyethylene membrane and in particular an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene member that provides a high air permeability and is hydrophobic. The membranes have small pores and are suitable for sterilization by exposure to gamma radiation. The membranes can be made by methods that involve one or more of stretching the membrane and grafting hydrophobic monomers onto the membrane surface. A perfluorinated monomer, such as perfluoro-n-octyl acrylate, can be grafted to one or more surfaces of the membrane. The membrane have a high flow rate compared to unstretched or ungrafted membranes.

Described herein are water desalination membranes and methods of desalinating water. Sulfonated poly(arylene ether) polymers are also disclosed, including those comprising one or more sulfonate groups at various points along the polymer chain. The polymers may be used as at least a portion of a water desalination membrane. The polymers described herein are useful for preventing transport of aqueous ionic species (e.g., Na.sup.+ and Cl.sup.) across a membrane made from the polymers while allowing water to pass. Chlorine-stable polymers are described, as well as polymers exhibiting good performance for rejecting monovalent cations in the presence of polyvalent cations.