A gel film or an isolated gel film comprising sheets of graphene or chemically converted graphene at least partially separated by a dispersion medium, such as water, and arranged in a substantially planar manner to form an electrically conductive matrix.

The present invention relates to a porous ABPBI (phosphoric acid doped poly (2, 5-benzimidazole)) membrane and process of preparing the same. A stable porous ABPBI (Phosphoric Acid Doped Poly (2, 5-benzimidazole)) membrane stable to acids, bases, solvents and autoclaving is disclosed. The membrane finds use for separation of solutes in solution in acids, bases and solvents.

The present invention provides high permeance copolyimide membranes and methods for making and using these membranes for gas separations such as for hydrogen purification and for acid gas removal from natural gas. The random copolyimide polymers used to make the copolyimide membrane may be UV crosslinked to improve selectivity in separating mixtures of gases or in purifying liquids. The membranes may be fabricated into any known membrane configuration such as a flat sheet or a hollow fiber.

A water separation composite membrane is provided. The water separation composite membrane includes a carrier with a plurality of pores, wherein the carrier is made of a polymer having a repeat unit of

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and a selective layer disposed on the porous carrier, wherein the selective layer consists of a plurality of graphene oxide layers.

Composite membranes comprising a layer having first and second microporous surfaces and a bulk between the surfaces, the bulk comprising a first set of pores having outer rims, and a second set of pores connecting the rims, and a polymer matrix supporting the first set of pores; and, a second layer having first and second porous surfaces and a second bulk between the porous surfaces, wherein the second bulk comprises a fibrous matrix; or, first and second microporous surfaces and a second bulk between the microporous surfaces, the second bulk comprising: a third set of pores having outer rims and a fourth set of pores connecting the rims, and a polymer matrix supporting the third set of pores; a third set of pores prepared by phase inversion; or, a fibrous matrix; or, a third set of pores prepared by stretching, track etching or e-beam, are disclosed.

A series of vinyl addition block polymers derived from functionalized norbornene monomers are disclosed and claimed. Specifically, a series of diblock and triblock polymers derived from norbornene monomers are disclosed. Also disclosed are the method of preparation of such block polymers, and their use in the fabrication of membranes which exhibit unique separation properties.

A process for preparing a reverse osmosis membrane that includes: (A) providing a polyamine, a polyfunctional acid halide, and a flux increasing additive having the formula Z.sup.+B.sup., where Z.sup.+ is an easily dissociable cation and B.sup. is a beta-diketonate; (B) combining the polyamine, polyfunctional acid halide, and flux increasing additive on the surface of a porous support membrane; and (C) interfacially polymerizing the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide, and flux increasing additive on the surface of the porous support membrane to form a reverse osmosis membrane comprising (i) the porous support membrane and (ii) a discrimination layer comprising a polyamide. The reverse osmosis membrane is characterized by a flux that is greater than the flux of the same membrane prepared in the absence of the flux increasing additive.

According to the present invention, an aromatic polysulfone resin is offered which is suitable as film material, especially in porous membranes. The aromatic polysulfone resin of the present invention has a reduced viscosity of 0.55-0.65 dL/g, and preferably 0.58-0.62 dL/g, number average molecular weight (Mn) of 22000 or more, and preferably 23500 or more, and a value of the ratio of weight average molecular weight (Mw) relative to number average molecular weight (Mn) of 2.54 or less, and preferably 2.50 or less.

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 membrane made from a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer has at least one of: a molecular weight cut off of less than 40 kilodaltons or a surface pore size of 0.001 to 0.1 micrometers. The porous membrane is made by dissolving the poly(phenylene ether) copolymer in a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent to form a porous membrane-forming composition; and phase-inverting the porous asymmetric membrane forming-composition in a first non-solvent composition to form the porous mem-brane. The porous membrane can be in the form of a sheet or a hollow fiber, and can be fabricated into separation modules.