Microporous polymer membranes and related methods of fabrication are provided. An asymmetric microporous membrane embodiment includes, but is not limited to, a thermoplastic polymer substrate defining a plurality of micropores, the thermoplastic polymer including one or more of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polymethylpentene (PMP), and a combination thereof; and a polymethylpentene (PMP) polymer skin positioned on the thermoplastic polymer substrate, wherein when the thermoplastic polymer substrate includes PMP, the PMP polymer skin has a crystallinity that differs from a crystallinity of the PMP in the polymer substrate.

Disclosed are a ceramic membrane for water treatment using oxidation-treated SiC and a method for manufacturing the same. An object of the present invention is to manufacture a ceramic membrane for water treatment, which can be sintered at a low temperature of 1,050? C. or less, in which a SiO.sub.2 oxide layer formed during an oxidation process induces volume expansion so as to prevent defects due to the contraction of a coating layer during general sintering. The ceramic membrane for water treatment using the oxidation treated SiC includes a porous ceramic support layer; and a SiC layer formed on the porous ceramic support layer and including SiC particles on which a SiO.sub.2 oxide layer formed on a surface thereof.

Provided is a novel continuous single-step method of manufacturing a multilayer sorbent polymeric membrane having superior productivity, properties and performance. At least one layer of the polymeric membrane comprises sorbent materials and a plurality of interconnecting pores. The method includes: (a) coextruding layer-forming compositions to form a multilayer coextrudate; (b) casting the coextrudate into a film; (c) extracting the film with an extractant; and (d) removing the extractant from the extracted film to form the multilayer sorbent polymeric membrane. The sorbent membrane of this disclosure can find a wide range of applications for use in filtration, separation and purification of gases and fluids, CO.sub.2 and volatile capture, structural support, vehicle emission control, energy harvesting and storage, electrolyte batteries. device, protection, permeation, packaging, printing, and etc.

Disclosed herein is a membrane comprising a bonding layer; and an activation layer disposed on the bonding layer and in contact with it; where the activation layer comprises catalyst nanoparticles that are operative to decompose impurities contained in an aqueous solution to generate gas bubbles that remove a sludge disposed on the membrane. Disclosed herein too is a method of purifying an aqueous solution comprising disposing in the aqueous solution, a membrane that comprises a bonding layer and an activation layer; where the activation layer comprises catalyst nanoparticles; partitioning the aqueous solution into a concentrate portion and a filtrate portion; where the activation layer contacts the concentrate portion; and decomposing impurities contained in the aqueous solution to generate gas bubbles that remove a sludge disposed on the membrane.

A filter includes a fibrous substrate having a plurality of coextruded first polymer material fibers and second polymer material fibers. Each of the first and second fibers are separated from each other and have a rectangular cross-section defined in part by an additional encapsulating polymer material that is separated from the first polymer material fibers and second polymer material fibers. The fibrous substrate has a pore size range of between about 0.1 m to about 0.4 m.

In accordance with at least selected embodiments, a battery separator or separator membrane comprises one or more co-extruded multi-microlayer membranes optionally laminated or adhered to another polymer membrane. The separators described herein may provide improved strength, for example, improved puncture strength, particularly at a certain thickness, and may exhibit improved shutdown and/or a reduced propensity to split.

A method of manufacturing a separation membrane structure comprising a step of forming a first to n.sup.th zeolite membranes on a surface of a porous substrate by n repetitions (wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 2) of formation of a zeolite membrane by a method of hydrothermal synthesis. The following formula (1) is established in relation to the step of forming the first to the n.sup.th zeolite membranes. (Formula 1) N.sub.1/N.sub.0+0.1T.sub.2n/T.sub.12N.sub.1/N.sub.0+2 (Wherein, N.sub.1 denotes a permeation rate of a predetermined gas in the substrate after formation of the first zeolite membrane, N.sub.o denotes a permeation rate of a predetermined gas in the substrate before formation of the first zeolite membrane, T.sub.1 is a time required for formation of the first zeolite membrane, and T.sub.2n is a total time required for formation of the second to the n.sup.th zeolite membranes.)

A porous filter includes a porous laminate in which a plurality of biaxially stretched porous sheets made of PTFE are stacked. The Gurley number G and the bubble point B (kPa) of the porous laminate satisfy the following expressions (1) and (2):

log G>3.710.sup.3B0.8(1)

log G<4.910.sup.3B+0.45(2).

An embodiment of the invention provides a substrate for a liquid filter, the substrate including at least one A layer which is a microporous membrane-like layer containing a polyolefin, and at least one B layer which is a microporous membrane-like layer containing a polyolefin and a filler, the substrate having a bubble point of from 0.40 Mpa to 0.80 Mpa and a water permeation efficiency of from 1.0 mL/min.Math.cm.sup.2 to 4.0 mL/min.Math.cm.sup.2.

The present invention relates to a hollow microfiber comprising (1) one or more cell-adhesive layers having a cell-adhesive hydrogel, (2) an outer shell layer having a high-strength hydrogel that covers the outer periphery of the cell-adhesive layer that is positioned farthest from the center axis among the one or more cell-adhesive layers, and (3) a cell layer that covers the inner periphery of the cell-adhesive layer that is positioned closest to the center axis among the one or more cell-adhesive layers. The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the hollow microfiber and a kit for carrying out the manufacturing method.