The present disclosure is directed to the preparation of highly metallic, hydrophilic, polymer-free carbon nanotube (CNT) thin sheets with high tensile strength. The densified CNT sheet has reduced pore sizes, increased tensile strength, and improved electrical conductivity. The disclosed CNT materials can be used as filtration membranes with little or no propensity toward surface fouling. Such densified CNT sheets are also useful as superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials.

A reverse osmosis membrane is disclosed that has a hydrogel disposed on its surface, wherein the hydrogel is formed from a crosslinked polyvinylpyrrolidone or a copolymer of vinyl pyrrolidone. The hydrogel-coated membrane resists fouling by feed water contaminants. The permeate flux rate and salt rejection of the underlying membrane are not negatively affected by the hydrogel coating.

Described is a polyethylene membrane and in particular an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene member that provides a high air permeability and is hydrophobic. The membranes have small pores and are suitable for sterilization by exposure to gamma radiation. The membranes can be made by methods that involve one or more of stretching the membrane and grafting hydrophobic monomers onto the membrane surface. A perfluorinated monomer, such as perfluoro-n-octyl acrylate, can be grafted to one or more surfaces of the membrane. The membrane have a high flow rate compared to unstretched or ungrafted membranes.

Methods and formulations for antimicrobial and anti-biofouling coating comprising: a hollow round colloidal structure, comprising: an active polymer shell; and an active or inert core; wherein the active polymer shell comprises one and more polymers with antimicrobial and anti-biofouling activities selected from the group consisting of polyethylenimine (PEI), functionalized chitosan (CHI), polyquaternium, poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMD); wherein the active or inert core contains one and more disinfectants, biocides, fragrances or inert solvent; and wherein the hollow round colloidal structure is stable for at least 3 months.

The present invention relates to a high performance cross-linked triblock cationic functionalized polymer for electrochemical applications, and methods of making and using the same. The invention also relates to a tunable hydrogenated polymer, that can be functionalized with a particular cation for a particular application, and the method of making the hydrogenated polymer and tuning the hydrogenated polymer for the application.

Composite membrane tubing includes a porous scaffold support combined with polyether block amide copolymer. The composite membrane tubing has overlapping fusion areas that are an artifact of the manufacturing process. The methods of manufacturing above-mentioned composite membrane tubing have also been addressed. The composite membrane tubing can be reinforced with a structural mesh to further provide rigidity and strength. Composite membrane tubing or generally extruded tubing can be integrated into a multi-tube module for various applications.

A method for forming an isoporous graded film comprising multiblock copolymers and isoporous graded films. The films have a surface layer and a bulk layer. The surface layer can have at least 110.sup.14 pores/m.sup.2 and a pore size distribution (d.sub.max/d.sub.min)) of less than 3. The bulk layer has an asymmetric structure. The films can be used in filtration applications.

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.

A method of manufacturing a membrane can include forming the membrane from a dissolved polymer in the presence of a functionalizing agent; and exposing the functionalizing agent to a nanoparticle to form a modified membrane.

Disclosed are a method for preparing a high-strength anti-pollution anti-bacterial hollow fiber nano-filtration membrane and a product prepared by the method. The method comprises: S1, a chemical crosslinking reaction: placing an ultra-filtration base membrane in an acidic aqueous solution of glucose or an aqueous solution of phytic acid for a chemical crosslinking reaction to obtain a nano-filtration membrane; S2, a neutralization reaction immersing the nano-filtration membrane obtained in step S1 in an aqueous solution of alkali for the neutralization reaction, then washing the membrane to be neutral; S3, loading inorganic antibacterial agent: placing the membrane obtained in step S2 in an inorganic anti-bacterial agent solution for complexation, thereby obtaining a high-strength anti-pollution anti-bacterial hollow fiber nano-filtration membrane.