A process for removing metal ions from aqueous systems is disclosed comprising the treatment of the aqueous system with a membrane M, wherein the membrane M has a molecular weight cut-off above 3,000 Da and comprises A.) a carrier membrane CM, wherein said carrier membrane CM has a porous structure wherein the average pore diameter on one surface is smaller than in the rest of the membrane, thus forming rejection layers R on one side of carrier membrane CM, and B.) an active layer A comprising at least one polymer P comprising a plurality of functional groups G capable of forming stable complexes with metal ions selected from Ca, Mg, Al, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, Sb, Co, Cr, Cd, Hg and/or Ag, wherein said active layer A is located on the surfaces of the rejection layers R of carrier membrane CM and throughout the porous structure of carrier membrane CM.

Liquid solution separation (e.g., concentration and/or desalination) methods and related systems involving membrane separators having at least one-semipermeable membrane are provided. In some instances, at least some of the membrane separators permit a portion of solute in a retentate side input stream to pass through the semi-permeable membrane. In some instances, multiple membrane separators are employed, with the membrane separators having different solute permeabilities (e.g., due to varying pore size and/or molecular weight cutoffs). The methods and systems may be configured such that the ratio of mass flow and/or concentration of solute entering the retentate sides of the membrane separators are relatively high compared to the mass flow and/or concentration of solute exiting the retentate sides of the membrane separators. Such ratios may be relatively high for some or all membrane separators employed, which can in some instances reduce capital and/or operational expenditures for the liquid separation processes.

A hollow fiber membrane and a method of preparing the same. The hollow fiber membrane has an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface has a zebra-stripe pattern in which a dense portion and a porous portion are alternately formed in a longitudinal direction of the hollow fiber membrane.

A molecular filtration device and method of use capable of filtering and purifying molecules of a particular characteristic, wherein the amount of molecule to be filtered may be in the nanogram range and may be dispersed in a relatively large volume of solution. The resultant elution may include a relatively high concentration of desired molecule, due to a relatively small volume.

The present disclosure relates to a polyether block polyamide/polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite membrane for gas separation, and a preparation method and use thereof, and belongs to the technical field of membrane separation. In the present disclosure, an amphoteric copolymer PDMS-polyethylene oxide (PEO) (PDMS-b-PEO) is introduced into an intermediate layer to adjust the interfacial binding performance, thereby promoting preparation of an ultra-thin polyether block polyamide composite membrane. Studies have shown that the surface enrichment of PEO segments not only inhibits a dense SiO.sub.x layer formed due to a plasma treatment of a PDMS intermediate layer, but also provides additional hydrophilic sites and interfacial compatibility for the subsequent selective layer. The use of PDMS-b-PEO in an intermediate layer allows the successful preparation of a selective layer with a thickness of about 50 nm.

The present disclosure relates to the field of materials for uranium extraction from seawater (UES), and in particular, to a photothermal photocatalytic membrane for seawater desalination and uranium extraction and a preparation method therefor. The present disclosure provides a photothermal photocatalytic membrane for seawater desalination and uranium extraction and a preparation method therefor. The preparation method includes: fixing a treated carbon cloth to a glass plate, pouring a casting solution 1 onto the carbon cloth to form a first layer of film, forming a second layer of film using a casting solution 2, and putting the second layer of film into a first coagulation bath and a second coagulation bath in sequence to form the photothermal photocatalytic membrane. The photothermal photocatalytic membrane is supported by the carbon cloth, and a surface of the photothermal photocatalytic membrane is of a micro-nano structure.

The present invention is directed to soy protein products, very low in, or free of, beany flavor notes and useful for the fortification of food and beverage products and prepared without the use of salt in the process. The soy protein products of the present invention are obtained by extracting soy protein source with water to form an aqueous soy protein solution, at least partially separating the aqueous soy protein solution from residual soy protein source, adjusting the pH of the aqueous soy protein solution to a pH of about 1.5 to about 3.6 to solubilize at least a portion of the protein and form an acidified soy protein solution then separating the acidified soy protein solution from the acid insoluble solid material. The acidified soy protein solution may be dried following optional concentration and diafiltration to form a soy protein product, which may be an isolate. The acid insoluble solid material may be washed with acidified water and then dried to form another soy protein product. These products may be dried at the acidic pH at which they were prepared or may be adjusted in pH before drying.

An asymmetric hollow fiber (CMS) carbon molecular sieve is made by providing a dope solution comprised of a polvimide and a solvent, at a temperature greater than 250 C. that is less than the storage modulus at a temperature of 250 C., but no more than ten times less as measured using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis from 250 C. to a temperature where the polyimide carbonizes. The polvimide is shaped into a hollow polvimide fiber, the solvent removed and the polyimide hollow fiber is heated to pyroiyze the polvimide and form the asymmetric hollow carbon molecular sieve. The asymmetric hollow fiber carbon molecular sieve has a wall that is defined by an inner surface and outer surface of said fiber and the wall has an inner porous support region extending from the inner surface to an outer raicroporous separation region that extends from the inner porous support region to the outer surface. Surprisingly, when the polyimide has the particular storage modulus characteristics, the method allows for the hollow fiber CMS to be made without any pre-treatmenis or additives to inhibit stractural collapse of the inner microporous region.

Provided is a microporous polyolefin membrane which has excellent oxidation resistance and electrolyte injection performance and further has excellent permeability and strength balance. The multilayer, microporous polyolefin membrane has a first microporous layer containing polypropylene. The electrolyte injection performance is 20 seconds or less, at least one surface layer is the first microporous layer, and the PP distribution in the first microporous layer is uniform in the in-plane direction.

This patent application discloses membranes comprised of cellulose esters that are crosslinked. The membrane can be in the form of a flat film, tube or hollow fiber membrane. The membranes are plasticization resistant and can be used to separate gases.