Described herein relates to apparatus and method for developing a free-standing zwitterion-promoted hybrid clay film having excellent ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and/or chemical stability. As such, in an embodiment the clay film apparatus may comprise biocompatible materials, including but not limited to clay and trimethyl glycine (hereinafter TMG), also known as a zwitterion. Additionally, in an embodiment, the clay film apparatus may be synthesized utilizing a simple method for making a free-standing flexible, non-polymeric clay film. Moreover, in an embodiment, the prepared film's increased porosity, superior thermal and chemical stability, electrically insulating, and ionic conductivity, as compared to clay films known in the art, may make it an excellent material for energy applications as an ion-conducting membrane. The applications may include but are not limited to battery separators, electrolyte membranes in fuel cells, and solid electrolyte membranes in batteries.

A zeolite membrane complex includes a porous support and a zeolite membrane formed on the support. In the zeolite membrane, a Si/Al ratio which is a molar ratio becomes larger as it goes from an interface portion with the support toward a membrane inner portion and the Si/Al ratio becomes smaller as it goes from the membrane inner portion toward a surface portion opposite to the support.

Disclosed is a membrane with one or more dry-process porous layers that comprise (1) a polyolefin and (2) a product formed by reacting two components, which may be a compound with one or more carboxy groups and a compound with one or more epoxy groups. The product may be a reaction network, a three-dimensional reaction network, or a cross-linked network The resulting membrane has improved strength, reduced splittiness, or both improved strength and reduced splittiness. The membrane may be used in a battery, capacitor, HVAC, filtering device, or textile. Methods for making the membrane are also disclosed.

A planar filtration element includes a planar support structure (11) and at least one filtration layer (12, 13) made of a membrane material. The planar support structure has first and second opposite outer surfaces (111, 112) spaced apart and secured by spacing members (113) to define a drainage compartment (114) between the first and second outer surfaces. At least one of the first and second outer surfaces includes through-openings (115) for fluid connection with the drainage compartment (114), and wherein the outer surfaces (111, 112), when one disregards the through-openings, are formed of a material extending continuously throughout the outer surfaces. The filtration layer (12, 13) coats the outer surface such that the membrane material penetrates the through-openings (115) to anchor the filtration layer (12, 13) to the support structure (11).

A device includes a container, an oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane supported by the container, a chamber disposed in the container to hold a hydrogen generating fuel, and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell supported within the container between the oxygen-to-water selectively permeable membrane and the chamber.

The invention discloses a method for the pervaporation and vapor-permeation separation of a gas-liquid mixture or a liquid mixture by a SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane prepared in a dry gel process, comprising: 1) synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieve seeds; 2) coating the SAPO-34 seeds on a porous support; 3) preparation of a mother liquor for dry gel synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane; 4) supporting the mother liquor for dry gel synthesis on the porous support coated with SAPO molecular sieve seeds and drying; 5) placing the porous support prepared in step 4) into a reaction vessel, adding a solvent, performing crystallization of the dry gel; 6) calcining; 7) using the SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane obtained from step 6) to perform separation of a gas-liquid mixture or a liquid mixture by a process of pervaporation separation or vapor-permeation separation. The invention has the advantages of very high methanol selectivity and permeation flux, lowering synthesis cost of molecular sieve membrane and lowering environment pollution.

A hybrid porous structured material may include a matrix including a plurality of first pores interconnected in three dimensions, and a porous material including second pores and filling wholly or partially each of the plurality of the first pores.

The invention discloses a method for the pervaporation and vapor-permeation separation of a gas-liquid mixture/liquid mixture by an ion-exchanged SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane, said method comprises the following steps: 1) synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieve seeds; 2) coating the SAPO-34 molecular sieve seeds onto the inner surface of a porous support; 3) synthesis of SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane; 4) performing ion exchange and calcination; 5) using the ion-exchanged SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane obtained in step 4) to perform the separation of a gas-liquid mixture or a liquid mixture by a process of pervaporation separation or vapor-permeation separation. The present method for membrane separation of methanol-dimethyl carbonate has advantages like low energy consumption, being not limited by azeotropic mixture, high methanol flux and high separation factors and thus has great economic value.

The present invention discloses a method for the pervaporation and vapor-permeation separation of a gas-liquid mixture or a liquid mixture by a SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane, which comprises: 1) mixing an Al source, tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide, water, a Si source and a P source, and subjecting the resultant to hydrothermal crystallization, then centrifuging, washing and drying to get SAPO-34 molecular sieve seeds; 2) coating the SAPO-34 molecular sieve seeds onto the inner surface of a porous support tube; 3) synthesis of a SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane tube; 4) calcining the obtained SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane tube to obtain a SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane; 5) using the SAPO-34 molecular sieve membrane obtained from step 4) to perform separation of a gas-liquid mixture or a liquid mixture via a process of pervaporation separation or vapor-permeation separation. The invention has the advantages of very high methanol selectivity and permeation flux, and provides an efficient and energy-saving separation way via pervaporation or vapor-permeation separation.

Porous ePTFE articles coated with a hydrophilic coating are provided. The coating may be modified by covalent modifications to the PVOH coating. Covalent modifications may include small molecule grafting, polymer grafting to or from the PVOH backbone, crosslinking of the polymer via thermal or photochemistry, and the like, and combinations thereof. A second polymer coating may be applied onto the PVOH coating. The second polymer may be added, for example, by using a saturation coating technique such as dip coating or spray coating to saturate a PVOH coated ePTFE substrate with a second polymer carried by a fluid. Application of the second polymer may form a second conformal coating over the first PVOH coating.