The disclosure relates to superhydrophobic membranes and methods of making and using such membranes. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate is formed on sandpaper such that the PDMS substrate has a surface texture replicating the opposite impression of the sandpaper texture. Separately, a PVDF solution is prepared and disposed on the PDMS substrate. The PVDF substrate and liquid film combination are transferred to a solution of deionized water mixed with 2-propanol to form a PVDF film on the PDMS substrate. The PVDF film-PDMS substrate is transferred to a second DI water bath, after which the PVDF film is detached from the PDMS substrate. The PVDF film is then washed and dried, to yield a superhydrophobic PVDF membrane having the texture of sandpaper.

A porous membrane laminate of the present disclosure includes a porous support layer and a porous membrane laminated on one surface of the support layer and containing polytetrafluoroethylene as a main component. The porous membrane is formed of a uniaxially stretched material, the porous membrane has a mean pore size of 25 nm to 35 nm and a maximum pore size of 49 nm or less, and the porous membrane has an average thickness of 0.6 μm to 3.5 μm.

A composite pervaporation laminate incorporates a thin hydrophilic film laminated on a formable macroporous support layer. The method for making the membrane involves solution casting a thin film on a carrier substrate and transferring the said film onto a macroporous support by hot pressing, such as by decal transfer. Ultra-thin defect-free film, such as less than 5 micrometers, are laminated using this method to achieve very high-water transmission rates and very low or zero gas permeation. The membrane can then be formed into a three-dimensional structure by pleating or corrugating to increase the surface area. The membrane can be used as spacers in an ERV application.

Provided are certain composite membranes useful for removing various impurities from liquids. In certain aspects, the composite membranes comprise a hydrophobic polymer having a polyamide coated thereon, and in other aspects, such composite membranes having certain acrylic polymers coated thereon. The composite membranes are useful in the removal of various impurities in liquids, such as those encountered in industrial and life sciences processes.

A method for manufacturing an ion exchange membrane is provided. The method for manufacturing an ion exchange membrane, according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprises the step of electrospinning a support fiber producing solution and an ion exchange fiber producing solution respectively to prepare a laminate in which a support fiber mat consisting of a support fiber and an ion exchange fiber mat consisting of an ion exchange fiber are alternatively laminated. According to the present invention, it is possible to simply control factors, such as the thickness, electroconductivity and mechanical strength of the membrane, and the diameter/ratio of a pore, etc. to be suitable for the use of ion exchange membrane during the manufacturing process, to simplify the manufacturing process. As such, the ion exchange membrane manufactured by the method can be utilized as a universal ion exchange membrane which has a large ion exchange capacity, a small electrical resistance, and a small diffusion coefficient as well as excellent mechanical strength and durability.

A method for producing permselective membrane includes preparing a support membrane having selective permeability and a lipid membrane containing a channel substance, the lipid membrane being formed on a surface of the support membrane. Excess lipids are removed with an acid or an alkali, and the support membrane has a permeation flux of 20 L/(m.sup.2.Math.h) or more and a desalination capacity of 1% to 20% at a pressure of 0.1 MPa.

The present disclosure provides a cell separation apparatus for a bioreactor. The cell separation apparatus may be disposed outside the bioreactor and in fluid connection with the bioreactor, the cell separation apparatus may be in a shape of a box body, the cell separation apparatus may include a liquid buffer device including a first liquid cavity disposed in the box body; a filter device including a filter channel and a filter membrane disposed in the box body, the filter membrane may be disposed above the filter channel; and a first liquid channel may be configured in the box body to facilitate a fluid communication between the first liquid cavity and the filter channel. A power system for filtering and microfluidic channels are integrated in the cell separation apparatus that is of a box shape, thereby reducing the volume and production cost thereof.

The present invention relates to an ionic liquid-containing structure including an ionic liquid composed of a pair of a cation and an anion, in which a HOMO energy level of the anion is higher than an LUMO energy level of the cation, and a difference between the HOMO energy level of the anion and the LUMO energy level of the cation is 0.2 a.u. or more.

The present disclosure relates to a composite membrane in which a rubbery polymer is introduced into a gutter layer to suppress the physical aging of the highly permeable composite membrane, and more particularly, to a composite membrane comprising a porous support layer; a gutter layer on the porous support layer; and an active layer on the gutter layer, wherein the gutter layer comprises a blend of poly(l-trimethlsilyl-l-propyne) (PTMSP) and a rubbery polymer and a method for preparing the same. The composite membrane according to the present disclosure has high permeation performance and a remarkable decline in physical aging leading to a decrease in permeability over time and thus has very high industrial applicability.

A macromolecule membrane structure (2) comprises a membrane (3) with water-channeling integral membrane proteins (IMPS) (1) and is coated, on a first surface, with a silica layer (4). The silica layer (4) stabilizes the macromolecule membrane structure (2) and the water-channeling IMPS (1) while maintaining the water-channeling function of the water-channeling IMPs (1). As a consequence of this stabilization, the macromolecule membrane structure (2) may be used in a filtration device (5) for various filtration operations, including water purification.