Transitional metal oxide-coated mesoporous microstructures, uses therefor, and processes for making same are provided. The transitional metal oxide-coated mesoporous microstructures can be silica based, including MCM-41, MCM-45, MCM-48, SBA-15 and SBA-16. The microstructures can include microspheres. The mesoporous microstructures can be produced using a sol-gel process wherein the crystallization step in the sol-gel process is carried out at a low temperature, where the temperature can be 22 C. for example. The metal oxide can be titanium dioxide. The titanium dioxide can include titanium dioxide nanocrystals. The transitional metal oxide-coated mesoporous microstructures can be used in environmental applications, such as nanofiltration of contaminated water to remove pollutants.

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.

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.

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.

Disclosed herein are ceramic selective membranes and methods of forming the ceramic selective membranes by forming a selective silica ceramic on a porous membrane substrate. 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.

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.

A dual function composite oxygen transport membrane having a layered structure of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials on a first side of a porous substrate and a reforming catalyst layer on an opposing second side of the porous substrate. The layered structure of the mixed conducting oxygen transport materials contains an intermediate porous layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials formed on the porous substrate with a dense impervious layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials over the intermediate porous layer, and an optional surface exchange layer of mixed conducting oxygen transport materials over the dense impervious layer. The layered structure and the reforming catalyst layer are formed in separate steps.

Disclosed herein are ceramic selective membranes and methods of forming the ceramic selective membranes by forming a selective silica ceramic on a porous membrane substrate.

A method for preparing a nanoporous silica sol-gel matrix containing at least one amine reactant selected from hydroxylamine, methylhydroxylamine, tertbutylhydroxylamine, methoxyamine, tetraethylenepentamine, dicarboxylic acid dihydrazides, particularly adipic acid dihydrazide, and the salts thereof, said method including the following steps: a) synthesising a gel from tetramethoxysilane or from a mixture of tetramethoxysilane and another organosilicon precursor selected from among phenyltrimethoxysilane, phenyltriethoxysilane, a fluoroalkyltrimethoxysilane, a fluoroalkyltriethoxysilane, a chloroalkylmethoxysilane, a chloroalkylethoxysilane, an alkyltrimethoxysilane, an alkyltriethoxysilane, an aminopropyltriethoxysilane and the mixtures thereof, the synthesis being performed in an aqueous medium at a temperature ranging from 10 to 70 C. in the presence of at least one amine reactant selected from among hydroxylamine, methylhydroxylamine, tertbutylhydroxylamine, methoxyamine, dicarboxylic acid dihydrazides, particularly adipic acid dihydrazide, and the salts thereof; b) drying the gel obtained during step a) so as to obtain a sol-gel matrix containing at least one amine reactant.

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.