A ceramic separation membrane structure in which a zeolite separation membrane formed on a ceramic porous body is repaired, and a repair method thereof. In the ceramic separation membrane structure, a zeolite separation membrane is disposed on a ceramic porous body, and defects of the zeolite separation membrane are repaired by zeolite repaired portions containing zeolite of structure different from the structure of zeolite of the zeolite separation membrane. The zeolite separation membrane and the zeolite repaired portions are made of a hydrophobic zeolite having a ratio of SiO.sub.2/Al.sub.2O.sub.3=100 or more.

A ceramic filter 20 has a porous support formed from particles containing a metal oxide as a main component and a membrane layer coated on a surface of the porous support and formed from particles containing the same kind of metal oxide as that of the porous support, wherein the particles forming the membrane layer are loaded with a different kind of metal oxide from that of the particles forming the membrane layer.

Disclosed are a CMS membrane, characterized in that it is obtainable by pyrolysis of a polyimide composed of the monomers 1-(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-inden-5-amine and 5-(1,3-dioxo-2-benzofuran-5-carbonyl-2-benzofuran-1,3-dione of the following formulae:

##STR00001##

preferably by pyrolysis of the polyimide having the CAS number 62929-02-6, and a supported CMS membrane comprising a CMS membrane obtainable from a polyimide by pyrolysis and a porous support, characterized in that a mesoporous intermediate layer is provided between the CMS membrane and the porous support.

Further disclosed are a process for preparing the supported membrane, the use of the membranes for separating gas mixtures or liquid mixtures, an apparatus for gas separation or for liquid separation, and the use of the polyimide for preparing a CMS membrane by pyrolysis.

Components, systems, and methods for producing highly hydrophilitic, functionalized inorganic filtration membranes, pre-treating organic and biological-containing waste waters for minimal membrane fouling and scaling when processed using such functionalized membranes, and use of such functionalized membranes of the present invention in filtration systems for separating such pre-treated waste waters, all with respect to optimal permeate production rates, purity of permeate and resistance to fouling and scale formation on the membranes.

In a method for preparing a zeolite CHA membrane, a gel conversion method is adopted to assist crystallization, seed solutions with different concentrations and sizes are successively coated on the surface of a porous support to obtain a seed layer, a synthetic gel is coated on the seed layer to obtain a gel layer, and then the porous support is subjected to a membrane crystallization reaction to obtain a zeolite CHA membrane. The method skips the conventional stage of converting the heterogeneous zeolite into the zeolite CHA seed, and directly takes a heterogeneous zeolite with the same secondary structural unit as that of zeolite CHA as a seed to directly prepare a zeolite CHA membrane on a support.

Nanoporous selective sol-gel ceramic membranes, selective-membrane structures, and related methods are described. Representative ceramic selective membranes include ion-conductive membranes (e.g., proton-conducting membranes) and gas selective membranes. Representative uses for the membranes include incorporation into fuel cells and redox flow batteries (RFB) as ion-conducting membranes.

Disclosed are a CMS membrane, characterized in that it is obtainable by pyrolysis of a polyimide composed of the monomers 1-(4-aminophenyl)-1,3,3-trimethyl-2H-inden-5-amine and 5-(1,3-dioxo-2-benzofuran-5-carbonyl-2-benzofuran-1,3-dione of the following formulae: ##STR00001##
preferably by pyrolysis of the polyimide having the CAS number 62929-02-6, and a supported CMS membrane comprising a CMS membrane obtainable from a polyimide by pyrolysis and a porous support, characterized in that a mesoporous intermediate layer is provided between the CMS membrane and the porous support. Further disclosed are a process for preparing the supported membrane, the use of the membranes for separating gas mixtures or liquid mixtures, an apparatus for gas separation or for liquid separation, and the use of the polyimide for preparing a CMS membrane by pyrolysis.

Provided herein is a method of forming a bicontinuous intraphase jammed emulsion gel.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

An evaporative cooling system includes a porous ceramic body with a plurality of dry channels and a plurality of wet channels. The plurality of dry channels are configured to inhibit transfer of water vapor into the dry channels and include a barrier layer that includes a roughened layer with a features size less than 1000 nm and a hydrophobic chemical modification disposed on the roughened layer. The plurality of wet channels are configured to allow transfer of water vapor.