Composite structures composed of inorganic membranes or polymer membranes supported on and integrated with compressed metal foam supports are provided. Also provided are methods of making the composite structures from compressed reticulated metal foams and methods of using the composite structures as separation membranes in the dehydration of organic solutions.

A highly permeable sorbent platform based on polysulfone and polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) composite membranes. The membranes possess a fully interconnected network of poly(acrylic acid)-lined pores, which enables the surface chemistry to be tailored through sequential attachment of polyethyleneimine moieties and metal-binding terpyridine ligands. The polyethyleneimine moieties increase the saturation capacity, while the addition of terpyridine enables high-affinity binding to a diversity of transition metal ions. This membrane platform removes such metal contaminants from solution. The metal capture performance of the functionalized membranes persists even in high concentrations of competitive ions. Also, fluorescence quenching of the terpyridine moiety upon metal ion complexation offers an in-situ probe to monitor the extent of sorbent saturation. The permeability, capacity, and affinity of these membranes, with high-density display of a metal-binding ligand, offer a chemically tailored platform to address the challenges that arise in ensuring clean water.

Described are methods of membrane distillation for processing organic liquids, hydrophobic distillation membranes useful for membrane distillation methods, and methods of preparing the hydrophobic distillation membranes.

A graphene-based membrane and a method of producing the same are disclosed. The graphene-based membrane may include a graphene-polymer composite, wherein the graphene-polymer composite may consist of an amine functionalized graphene and a polymer containing an anhydride group as a linker for linking the amine functionalized graphene to the polymer. The graphene-based membrane may be constructed of a single-layer. A method may include reacting a polymer containing an anhydride with an amine functionalized graphene in presence of a solvent to form an intermediate product; and thermal imidizing the intermediate product to form a graphene grafted polymer composite for use in fabricating a graphene-based membrane.

The present invention provides an intrinsically anti-microbial hollow fiber membrane for filtration of liquids. The membrane comprises a plurality of porous hollow bilayer membrane fibers wherein the liquid enters from outside of the fiber, passing through the porous membrane into the lumen of the fiber and coming out from the hollow ending of the fiber, wherein this configuration provides a liquid outside-in arrangement and retains the filtrate outside. It means that membrane of the invention has built in characteristics to act against microbes in order to provide the use with a safe liquid free from microbes. The outer side or outer wall of the hollow fibers may be configured to become hydrophobic whereas inner side or inner wall of the hollow fiber membrane may be configured to become hydrophilic to enhance the water permeability to a great extent. The hollow fiber membrane may be configured to give it an intrinsic anti-microbial capability. A device containing above said membrane has also been disclosed.

The present invention relates to a membrane distillation system comprising a flat-sheet composite mixed matrix hydrophilic/hydrophobic membrane having at least a hydrophilic layer and a hydrophobic layer. The hydrophilic layer comprises a hydrophilic polymer and inorganic nanoparticles having high thermal conductivity. The hydrophobic layer comprises fluorinated surface-modifying macromolecules (SMM). Also disclosed is a phase inversion method for manufacturing the membrane.

To provide a composite semipermeable membrane having high water permeability and separability.

Provided is a composite semipermeable membrane which is for water treatment and comprises a microporous support membrane and a polymerized liquid crystal thin film, the composite semipermeable membrane being characterized in that a polymerized liquid crystal represents a smectic structure.

A substrate for a composite membrane includes a microporous polyolefin membrane for carrying a hydrophilic resin compound within the pores of the microporous membrane wherein: the average pore diameter is 1 nm to 50 nm; the porosity is 50% to 78%; the membrane thickness is 1 μm to 12 μm; and, when a mixed solution of ethanol and water (volume ratio ½) is dripped onto a surface of the microporous polyolefin membrane which has not undergone hydrophilization treatment, the contact angle θ1 between the droplet and the surface is 0 to 90 degrees 1 second after the dripping, and the contact angle θ2 between the droplet and the surface is 0 to 70 degrees 10 minutes after the dripping, and the rate of change of the contact angle ((θ1−θ2)/θ1×100) is 10 to 50%.

The present invention relates to a reverse osmosis membrane using a polyolefin-based microporous membrane and a production method therefor. The present invention relates to a method for forming a polyamide layer by interfacial polymerization on a polyolefin-based microporous membrane without separate hydrophilization treatment, wherein reaction solutions are fed in a specified order upon the interfacial polymerization to effectively form the polyamide layer on a polyolefin-based microporous membrane having hydrophobicity.

An example device includes a defrothing portion to separate froth into a coalesced fluid and air, an air vent to vent the air from the defrothing portion, and a membrane on an outer surface of the defrothing portion, the membrane sealing the air vent. The membrane is formed of a material to prevent fluid from passing therethrough.