Carbon nanotube membranes that are flexible, non-fragile, stable at high temperatures, superhydrophobic, have submicrometer openings, and are resistant to delamination and corrosive conditions are provided. The carbon nanotube membranes comprise carbon nanotubes grown on a microporous, metal substrate, e.g. silver, quartz fiber filter, and HAST. Methods of fabricating the carbon nanotubes are also provided.

The present invention provides nanofiltration membranes with reduced chemical reactivity that can be utilized in manufacturing processes where reactive feedstocks and/or products are utilized or produced. Methods of making and using the membranes are also provided.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a filtration membrane having an average molecular out-off of <1000 g/mol.

Mesoporous membranes have shown promising separation performance with a potential to lower the energy consumption, leading to a dramatic cost reduction. Recently, an extensive effort has been made on the design of membranes which brought a significant progress toward the synthesis of well-defined porous morphologies, most of which synthesized by surfactant-template methodology. Currently, the most well-designed state-of-the-art membranes using this technique are made from metals, polymers, carbon, silica, etc. In the present invention, we demonstrate mesoporous calcium-silicate particles having superior separation capacity and optimal permeability, thereby leading to reduced energy consumption for selective separation of gases/liquids and/or the combination thereof. We explore various methods to improve the calcium-silicate membranes properties by tuning pore density during the synthesis/aging process, while favoring the formation of uniformly distributed nanopores. Lowering particle density by controlling calcium to silicon ratio along with optimizing the surface area are essential in achieving our objective.

The invention provides a membrane suitable for dewatering acidic mixtures, comprising a bridged organosilica directly applied on a macroporous support in the absence of an intermediate mesoporous or finer layer. The bridged organic silica comprises divalent C.sub.1-C.sub.9 organic groups A.sup.2 and/or trivalent C.sub.1-C.sub.9 organic groups A.sup.3 directly bound to the silicon atoms of the organosilica. In particular, the membrane comprises bis-silylmethane or bis-silylethane groups. The membranes effectively separate water from acidic mixtures at high temperatures and without decrease in performance for at least several months.

A method of producing a composite semipermeable membrane includes forming a porous support by applying polymer solution forming a first layer and polymer solution forming a second layer on a substrate; immersing the substrate in a non-solvent; and forming a separation functional layer the porous support membrane using an aqueous solution containing polyfunctional amine and an organic solvent solution containing a polyfunctional acid halide; wherein the first layer is formed to contact the substrate; the second layer is formed to contact the separation functional layer; the polymer solutions contain polysulfone; the concentration of polysulfone in a polymer solution A is 12% or more and 18% or less by weight; the concentration of polysulfone in a polymer solution B is 14% or more and 25% by weight or less; and the polysulfone concentration of the polymer solution B is greater than the polymer concentration of the polymer solution A.

A method ensuring excellent chemical resistance to a chemical cleaning solution, excellent filtration performance and an enhanced life in a saccharified solution production method including a cleaning step and filtration using a porous filtration membrane. A method for producing a saccharified solution, including the following steps: a liquefaction step of adding an enzyme to liquid starch to obtain a sugar-containing liquefied product; a saccharification step of adding a saccharifying enzyme to further degrade the sugar and obtain a saccharified solution composition containing a saccharified solution and an insoluble component; a filtration step of passing the saccharified solution composition through a porous membrane composed of a resin having a three-dimensional network structure to separate the saccharified solution from the insoluble component; and a cleaning step of passing or soaking the porous membrane into a cleaning solution to clean/remove the insoluble matter attached to the surface or inside of the porous membrane.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described. The membranes can comprise a support layer, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. The selective polymer layer can comprise an oxidatively stable carrier dispersed within a hydrophilic polymer matrix. The oxidatively stable carrier can be chosen from a quaternary ammonium hydroxide carrier (e.g., a mobile carrier such as a small molecule quaternary ammonium hydroxide, or a fixed carrier such as a quaternary ammonium hydroxide-containing polymer), a quaternary ammonium fluoride carrier (e.g., a mobile carrier such as a small molecule quaternary ammonium fluoride, or a fixed carrier such as a quaternary ammonium fluoride-containing polymer), and combinations thereof. The membranes can exhibit selective permeability to gases. The membranes can selectively remove carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from hydrogen and/or nitrogen. Further, the membranes can exhibit oxidative stability at temperatures above 100? C.

A porous hollow fiber membrane includes at least a first solvent and a second solvent. The first solvent is at least one selected from sebacic acid esters, citric acid esters, acetyl citric acid esters, adipic acid esters, trimellitic acid esters, oleic acid esters, palmitic acid esters, stearic acid esters, phosphoric acid esters, C6-C30 fatty acids, and epoxidized vegetable oils. The second solvent is different from the first solvent, and is at least one selected from sebacic acid esters, citric acid esters, acetyl citric acid esters, adipic acid esters, trimellitic acid esters, oleic acid esters, palmitic acid esters, stearic acid esters, phosphoric acid esters, C6-C30 fatty acids, and epoxidized vegetable oils. The porous hollow fiber membrane has a three-dimensional network structure.

Provided is a method of producing a composite, which is capable of preventing a silicone coating solution, which becomes a silicone resin layer that prevents an acidic gas separation layer from entering a porous support, from entering the porous support, preventing a porous film and an auxiliary support film from being peeled off, and suitably forming a dense silicone resin layer on the surface of the porous support. The method thereof includes a coating process of coating the surface of the porous film side of the porous support with the silicone coating solution which becomes a silicone resin layer according to a roll-to-roll system. In the coating process, the conveying speed of the porous support is in a range of 0.5 m/min to 200 m/min, the viscosity of the silicone coating solution is in a range of 100 cP to 1000000 cP, and the peel force between the porous film and the auxiliary support film is 10 mN/min or greater.