Multi-block isoporous structures for non-aqueous and/or harsh chemical media having at least one of high separation specificity, chemical resistance, and antifouling properties, methods of manufacturing and use, for replacements or alternatives to existing separation membrane technologies.

A base material for a membrane filter contains 90% by mass or more of aluminum oxide and 0.1% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less of titanium oxide. In a pore distribution curve measured by a mercury porosimeter, the base material has a first peak and a second peak which is higher than the first peak and is located at a pore size larger than that of the first peak, and the volume of pores with a pore size of 7 μm or more is 0.02 cm.sup.3/g or more.

Disclosed is a method for treating wastewater containing heavy metal. First, the wastewater containing heavy metal is subjected to a homogenization treatment, such that the water quality of the wastewater containing heavy metal from different processes is homogenized. The homogenized wastewater containing heavy metal is subjected to an anaerobic-aerobic circulating treatment in a membrane bioreactor (2), in which heavy metal ions are reduced by the action of microorganisms in the anaerobic treatment process. The membrane bioreactor (2) is filled with a hollow fiber membrane (3) containing a quinone group, which serves as an electron mediator that can accelerate the enzymatic reduction of heavy metal ions during the anaerobic treatment. During the aerobic treatment, the COD and SS in the wastewater are further removed.

The present invention relates to a hybrid membrane mixed with nanoparticles including a zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF), and a gas separation method using the same. A hybrid membrane according to the present invention comprises a polymer matrix, and nanoparticles which are dispersed in the polymer matrix and include the ZIF.

A crossflow filter includes a rigid cylindrical inner wall and a rigid cylindrical outer wall with an inelastic filter membrane positioned therebetween defining a retentate channel inside the filter membrane and a permeate channel outside the filter membrane. Further, the filter includes transition channels shaped and connected to the inner and outer walls to deliver a flow of fluid from an inlet port to the retentate channel and to capture flow flowing longitudinally along the cylindrical inner and outer walls from both the retentate and permeate channels to respective outlet ports.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a composite separation membrane which is excellent in not only a liquid permeable performance and a separation performance relatively but also a durability and which is particularly useful as a membrane for liquid treatment, and a method for treating a liquid by using the composite separation membrane. The composite separation membrane according to the present invention is characterized in comprising a supporting base material and a complex layer, wherein the complex layer is placed on the supporting base material, the complex layer comprises oxidized metal nanosheets, graphene oxide and an alkanolamine, and at least one of the alkanolamine is present between the oxidized metal nanosheets.

A thin micro-porous membrane sheet and filtering device using it is presented. The membrane sheet includes a thin porous metal sheet of thickness between 20 and 200 μm with a porous ceramic coating of thickness less than 25 μm on at least one of its surfaces. The porous metal sheet has mean pore sizes at micro and sub-micrometer level and has a surface substantially free of pores greater than 10 micrometers. The ceramic coating layer may be made of particles with a mean particle size in a range of 10 to 300 nm and contains certain sintering promoters. The ceramic coating is sintered with the metal sheet in non-oxidizing environment at lower temperatures than typical ceramic membranes. The thin membrane sheet is used to filter fine particulates from micrometers to nanometers from a liquid or gas stream. The thin membrane sheet may be assembled into a filter device having high surface area packing density and straight mini-flow channels.

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a hollow fiber membrane bundle from a plurality of polysulfone and PVP-based hollow fiber membranes which encompasses the providing of a spinning solution comprising a polysulfone-based material, in particular polysulfone, a vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer, in particular polyvinylpyrrolidone, an aprotic solvent, in particular dimethylacetamide, providing a coagulant liquid comprising water and an aprotic solvent, in particular dimethylacetamide, co-extruding the spinning solution and the coagulant liquid through a concentric annular spinneret into a hollow strand, whereby the cavity of the strand is filled with coagulant liquid, conducting the strand through a precipitation gap, introducing the strand into a precipitating bath comprised substantially of water so as to obtain a hollow fiber membrane, conducting the hollow fiber membranes through at least one rinsing bath and drying the hollow fiber membrane obtained, arranging the resulting hollow fiber membranes into a hollow fiber membrane bundle, and treating the hollow fiber membrane bundle with water vapor.

There is provided a system and method for angstrom confinement of trapped ions. The method including: receiving water molecules and ionic compounds in a first reservoir, an angstrom confinement assembly is positioned between the first reservoir and a second reservoir, the angstrom confinement assembly defining angstrom conduits; and repeatedly applying an electric field across a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the first reservoir and the second electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the second reservoir, the electric field applied such that, when the electric field is applied, positive ions of the ionic compounds are induced to flow through the angstrom conduits, and wherein, when the electric field is not applied, water molecules flow into the angstrom conduits due to capillary forces to confine the positive ions in the angstrom conduits.

A separation membrane complex includes a porous support and a separation membrane formed on the support. The separation membrane has a small void. A small void index I.sub.k expressed by (Σ(S.sub.k.sup.1.5))/(S.sub.m.sup.1.5) and indicating the abundance ratio of small voids is higher than or equal to 10×10.sup.−15, and a large void index I.sub.p expressed by (Σ(S.sub.p.sup.2))/(S.sub.m.sup.2) and indicating the abundance ratio of large voids is lower than 200×10.sup.−22, where S.sub.m is the surface area of the separation membrane, S.sub.k is the area per small void, and S.sub.p is the area per large void. Accordingly, the separation membrane complex can achieve a high separation ratio.