An apparatus for roll-to-roll nanomaterial dispersion papermaking includes a suction pressure for consolidating nanomaterials on a fluid permeable filter in one region of the filter and an opposite pressure region or regions for separating a mat of the consolidated nanomaterials and transferring the mat to a transfer roller. A transfer roller may have a suction pressure within the transfer roller to help transfer the mat from the filter to the transfer roller, for example. An inlet port distributes nanomaterials using row and zone inlets, for example.

A method for controlling fiber cross-alignment in a nanofiber membrane, comprising: providing a multiple segment collector in an electrospinning device including a first and second segment electrically isolated from an intermediate segment positioned between the first and second segment, collectively presenting a cylindrical structure, rotating the cylindrical structure around a longitudinal axis proximate to an electrically charged fiber emitter; electrically grounding or charging edge conductors circumferentially resident on the first and second segment, maintaining intermediate collector electrically neutral; dispensing electrospun fiber toward the collector, the fiber attaching to edge conductors and spanning the separation space between edge conductors; attracting electrospun fiber attached to the edge conductors to the surface of the cylindrical structure, forming a first fiber layer; increasing or decreasing rotation speed of the cylindrical structure to alter the angular cross-alignment relationship between aligned nanofibers in adjacent layers, the rotation speed being altered to achieve a target relational angle.

Fibrous materials are provided that comprise a cross-linkable urethane-based polymer (CUP) and an oligomeric or macromonomeric urethane-based cross-linker. The fibrous materials may be used in hydrogels, in filtration devices, in affinity membranes, in (protective) clothing, in drug delivery systems, and in tissue scaffolds, for example. The fibrous materials are useable also in human and/or veterinary medicine, such as in skin care and/or wound care.

Filter media having a relatively small pore size and related components, systems, and methods associated therewith are provided. The filter media may include a fibrous efficiency layer, a fibrous support layer, and a third layer adjacent to the efficiency layer. The efficiency layer may impart a relatively homogeneous pore structure to the filter media without adding substantial bulk to the filter media. The support layer may promote the homogeneity of the pore structure. For example, the support layer may prevent and/or minimize defects in the relatively thin efficiency layer that may result from manufacturing and/or processing. The third layer may serve to impart beneficial filtration (e.g., efficiency, dust holding capacity) and/or non-filtration (e.g., layer protection) properties to the filter media without adversely affecting one or more properties of the filter media. Filter media, as described herein, may be particularly well-suited for applications that involve liquid filtration, amongst other applications.

It can be difficult to remove atomically thin films, such as graphene, graphene-based material and other two-dimensional materials, from a growth substrate and then to transfer the thin films to a secondary substrate. Tearing and conformality issues can arise during the removal and transfer processes. Processes for forming a composite structure by manipulating a two-dimensional material, such as graphene or graphene-base material, can include: providing a two-dimensional material adhered to a growth substrate; depositing a supporting layer on the two-dimensional material while the two-dimensional material is adhered to the growth substrate; and releasing the two-dimensional material from the growth substrate, the two-dimensional material remaining in contact with the supporting layer following release of the two-dimensional material from the growth substrate.

A filter medium is provided. The filter medium according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a first support body having a plurality of pores; a nanofiber web comprising nanofibers disposed on upper and lower sides of the first support body and forming a three dimensional network structure; and a second support body having a plurality of pores interposed between the first support body and the nanofiber web, wherein the nanofiber web is realized as a filter medium that satisfies: (1) an elongation of 25% or more, (2) an air permeability of 0.1 to 2.00 cfm, and 3) porosity of 60%85%. Accordingly, since the filter medium has a fixed level of mechanical properties of the nanofiber web, the shape, structure deformation, and damage of the filter medium are minimized and a flow path is smoothly secured during a water treatment operation so that the filter medium can have a high flow rate. In addition, since the filter medium of the present invention has a prolonged use life due to excellent durability of the filter medium even at high pressure applied during backwashing, and has excellent filtration efficiency and water permeability, the filter medium can be applied in various ways in various water treatment fields.

A polymer composite membrane, a method for fabricating same, and a lithium-ion battery including same are provided. The polymer composite membrane includes a porous base membrane and a heat-resistant layer covering at least one side surface of the porous base membrane, the heat-resistant layer includes a plurality of heat-resistant sub-layers sequentially stacked, and pore-blocking temperatures of the heat-resistant sub-layers are sequentially increased from inside to outside; each of the heat-resistant sub-layers includes at least one of a first heat-resistant polymer material and a second heat-resistant polymer material, and each of the heat-resistant sub-layers is separately configured as a fiber network structure; the melting point of the first heat-resistant polymer material is not less than 200 C.; and the melting point of the second heat-resistant polymer material is not less than 100 C.

The invention relates to a porous separation article having a fluoropolymer, polyamide, PEEK, or PEKK binder interconnecting one or more types of interactive powdery materials or fibers. The interconnectivity is such that the binder connects the powdery materials or fibers in discrete spots rather than as a complete coating, allowing the materials or fibers to be in direct contact with, and interact with a fluid. The resulting article is a formed multicomponent, interconnected web, with porosity. The separation article is useful in water purification, as well as in the separation of dissolved or suspended materials in both aqueous and non-aqueous systems in industrial uses. The separation article can function at ambient temperature, as well as at elevated temperatures.

The invention concerns a method for producing a superhydrophobic membrane or surface coating of a substrate from an aqueous phase comprising the following steps: a) Preparing an aqueous dispersion by dispersing particles of hydrophobic polymer(s) in an aqueous solution of protic polymer(s), wherein the protic polymer(s) and the hydrophobic polymer(s) are present in a weight ratio of protic polymer(s):hydrophobic polymer(s) in a range of 5:95 to 22:78, b) electrospinning the dispersion of step a) onto a carrier for producing the membrane or onto the surface for producing the surface coating thereby producing at least one fiber and a nonwoven fabric from the fiber, c) subjecting the nonwoven fabric to a sol-gel process, wherein a precursor/precursors of the sol-gel comprise(s) an alkoxysilane, and d) curing the nonwoven fabric obtained by step c) at a temperature in a range of 50 C. to 150 C.

A filter assembly including a filtration medium comprising a nanofiber, having a three-dimensional network structure, and having a fiber web layer comprising a hydrophilic coating layer that covers at least a part of the outer surface of the nanofiber; and a first support body that supports the filtration medium, which is provided on both surfaces thereof, and has a channel formed therein. Accordingly, the filtration medium has excellent chemical resistance and improved hydrophilicity such that the flow rate can increase substantially. In addition, the improved hydrophilicity is maintained for a long period of time such that the utilization period can be extended substantially. Furthermore, any change in the pore structure of the filtration medium during the hydrophilicity endowing process is minimized such that the initially designed physical characteristics of the filtration medium can be fully exhibited.