Disclosed are methods of preparing antifouling coatings on reverse osmosis membranes with initiated vapor deposition or oxidative vapor deposition. The coatings enhance the stability and lifetime of membranes without sacrificing performance characteristics, such as permeability or salt retention.

Superhydrophobic membrane structures having a beneficial combination of throughput and a selectivity. The membrane structure can include a porous support substrate; and a membrane layer adherently disposed on and in contact with the porous support substrate. The membrane layer can include a nanoporous material having a superhydrophobic surface. The superhydrophobic surface can include a textured surface, and a modifying material disposed on the textured surface. Methods of making and using the membrane structures.

A polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) casting membrane solution is shaped as a flat sheet membrane by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS), the PVDF membrane is defluorinated with an alkaline potassium permanganate solution, and then the carbon chain is extended with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) as the graft monomer, and finally the nucleophilic substitution is carried out between melamine and GMA to produce a chelating microfiltration membrane for capturing and enriching heavy metals with high flux and high capacity.

A method of separating gas and a method of making a gas separation membrane. The method of separating gas includes flowing a gas stream through a membrane, in which the membrane comprises a crosslinked mixture of a poly(ether-b-amide) copolymer and an acrylate-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) according to formula (I) or formula (II); and separating the gas stream via the membrane.

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In formulas (I) and (II), each n is of from 2 to 30; and each R is independently H or CH.sub.3.

Described are various embodiments of a method for fabricating a polymer membrane having open through holes, and membranes so produced. In some embodiments, a curable polymeric resin is introduced within a micro post structure wherein a material of the micro posts is soluble in a solvent and wherein the curable polymeric resin is insoluble in this solvent such that the structure can be at least partially dissolved to release the membrane once cured.

The present disclosure provides a method for producing a water permeable molecular sieve in which a porous substrate having micron-size pores has deposited on a surface thereof non-porous 2D platelets to seal, at the substrate surface, pores in the porous substrate to form a layer of 2D platelets. A curable sealing material is deposited onto the layer of 2D platelets and any remaining exposed areas of the surface of the porous substrate and curing the curable sealing material in order to form a sealed layer on the surface of the porous substrate to prevent water by-passing the non-porous 2D platelets and passing through the porous substrate. An array of sub-nanopores are then produced through the sealed layer with the array of sub-nanopores having a size to allow water to pass therethrough but not metal ions to give a water permeable molecular sieve characterized by water permeability at low di?erential pressures.

A membrane includes a porous base membrane and a hydrophilic coating. The coating comprises a hydrophilic additive and a hydrophilic polymer derivatized with an electron beam reactive group adapted to form a radical under high energy irradiation. In some embodiments, the membrane comprises a fluoropolymer. Also disclosed are processes for forming the membrane.

Methods are generally provided for forming a membrane. In one embodiment, the method includes: dispersing GO nanoparticles in a solvent; depositing the GO nanoparticles on a support to form a GO membrane; and reducing the GO membrane to form a rGO membrane. Also provided is the rGO membrane formed from such methods, along with a plurality of stacked rGO layers. Methods are also provided for separating water from a water/oil emulsion by, for example, passing water through the rGO membrane.

A protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane has a gas separation membrane that satisfies specific conditions such as having a resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond, a protective layer located on the resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond of the gas separation membrane, and a porous layer on the protective layer. The protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane is produced. A gas separation membrane module and a gas separation apparatus have the protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane.

A method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane includes forming a gas separation membrane having a resin layer containing a compound having a siloxane bond and satisfying a particular condition by surface oxidation treatment of a resin layer precursor containing a siloxane bond; and providing a protective layer on the resin layer before winding. A protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane is produced by the method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane. A gas separation membrane module and a gas separation apparatus are produced by the method for producing a protective-layer-covered gas separation membrane.