A membrane device and separation process are presented to enable removal of water from water-containing mixtures at high throughput and high energy efficiency. The membrane device is made of thin H.sub.2O-selective molecular sieve membrane sheets with small feed channels and small permeate channels. The thin membrane sheet provides H.sub.2O-molecular specificity and allows H.sub.2O molecule to permeate through while blocking the other molecules. The membrane device provides large membrane area per unit volume and reduces mass transfer and flow resistance. Water is removed from the mixture by flowing the water-containing mixture through the feed channels of the device at a pressure above atmospheric pressure and removing the permeated water vapor from the permeate channels in the device under vacuum.

A peak intensity of a (004) plane is greater than or equal to 3 times a peak intensity of a (110) plane in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained by irradiation of X-rays to a membrane surface of an AFX membrane.

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe polymer blend membranes comprising a layer including a polymer blend of regenerated cellulose and polydimethylsiloxane and a support in contact with the layer. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods of preparing a polymer blend membrane comprising contacting a cellulose precursor and a PDMS precursor in a solvent to form a polymer blend solution, depositing the polymer blend solution on a surface of a suitable support, curing the PDMS precursor of the polymer blend solution to form PDMS, and converting the cellulose precursor to cellulose to form a polymer blend membrane including cellulose and PDMS. Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods of separating chemical species by one or more of organic solvent nanofiltration and pervaporation.

A process for removing Sr.sup.2+ toxins from bodily fluids is disclosed. The process involves contacting the bodily fluid with an ion exchanger to remove the metal toxins in the bodily fluid, including blood and gastrointestinal fluid. Alternatively, blood can be contacted with a dialysis solution which is then contacted with the ion exchanger. The ion exchangers are represented by the following empirical formula:

A.sub.mZr.sub.aTi.sub.bSn.sub.cM.sub.dSi.sub.xO.sub.y.

A composition comprising the above ion exchange compositions in combination with bodily fluids or dialysis solution is also disclosed. The ion exchange compositions may be supported by porous networks of biocompatible polymers such as carbohydrates or proteins.

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe thin-film composite membranes comprising a of the present disclosure further describe methods of preparing membranes, methods of manufacturing membranes, methods of separating chemical species, methods of using the membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration, pervaporation, and the like.

A support is a porous ceramic support for supporting a zeolite membrane. The hydraulic conductivity of the support is less than or equal to 1.110.sup.3 m/s. In the support, the total content of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal in a surface part within 30 m from a surface in a depth direction perpendicular to the surface is less than or equal to 1% by weight.

A zeolite membrane complex includes a porous support, and a zeolite membrane formed on the support. The zeolite membrane includes a zeolite crystal phase constituted by a plurality of zeolite crystals, and a dense grain boundary phase, which is a region between the plurality of zeolite crystals. A density of at least part of the grain boundary phase is smaller than a density of the zeolite crystal phase. A width of the grain boundary phase is 2 nm or more and 10 nm or less. Accordingly, it is possible to realize high permeability and high separating performance, and high durability of the zeolite membrane.

A hydrogen permeable membrane device is provided that includes a porous ceramic layer having a material that includes zirconia, Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), /Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and/or YSZ /Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and a porous Pd film or porous Pd-alloy film deposited on the a mesoporous ceramic layer.

The present invention provides a fluid separation membrane that can maintain separation performance for a long period of time. The present invention provides a fluid separation membrane including a separation layer including a dense layer, wherein 2 to 10,000 ppm of a total of a monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic compound being liquid or solid at 16 C. under atmospheric pressure and 10 to 250,000 ppm of water are adsorbed.

Metal organic framework membranes can be used in gas separation applications.