A thin film composite membrane includes an active layer on a support membrane, wherein the active layer includes at least two chemically distinct first and second crosslinked polyamide film sub-layers. The first film sub-layer includes a polyamide unit; and the second film sub-layer includes a copolyamide with two chemically distinct polyamide units. The first film sub-layer is closer to the support than is the second film sub-layer.

A polymer ultrafiltration membrane with a bicontinuous highly interconnected porous structure, a preparation method and applications thereof are provided. The ultrafiltration membrane has a bottom layer and a polymer layer. The polymer layer is divided into a sublayer and a surface layer. The surface layer is of a uniform small pore structure with a narrow pore size distribution. The sublayer is of a bicontinuous highly interconnected three-dimensional network porous structure. The bicontinuous highly interconnected porous structure of the bicontinuous highly interconnected porous ultrafiltration membrane is characterized as follows: in the thickness direction of the sublayer, the cross-sectional porosity on any XY cross-section perpendicular to the thickness direction is 40-90%, preferably 60-90%, and further preferably 70-90%; and the difference in the cross-sectional porosities between any two XY cross-sections does not exceed 10%, preferably not exceed 8%, and also preferably not exceed 5%.

Methods and apparatus for forming apertures in a solid state membrane using dielectric breakdown are provided. In one disclosed arrangement a plurality of apertures are formed. The membrane comprises a first surface area portion on one side of the membrane and a second surface area portion on the other side of the membrane. Each of a plurality of target regions comprises a recess or a fluidic passage opening out into the first or second surface area portion. The method comprises contacting all of the first surface area portion of the membrane with a first bath comprising ionic solution and all of the second surface area portion with a second bath comprising ionic solution. A voltage is applied across the membrane via first and second electrodes in respective contact with the first and second baths comprising ionic solutions to form an aperture at each of a plurality of the target regions in the membrane.

Provided is a filter module for a gravity-type water purifier. The filter module for a gravity-type water purifier according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a plurality of filter members which are plate shaped, and which are fixed to each other via one or more fastening bars while arranged spaced apart from each other in parallel having gaps therebetween; and a common water collecting member coupled to the respective water collecting holes formed in the filter members, and in which filtered water produced from the filter members is collected.

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.

The present invention relates to surface modifying agents for polymeric and/or textile materials, methods of making and/or using a surface modifying agent to modify and functionalize polymeric and/or textile materials, and/or methods of using surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials, and/or products using or incorporating surface modified or functionalized polymeric and textile materials. For example, the surface modifying agent in precursor form can be styrene sulfonyl azide monomer, polymer or copolymer capable of undergoing a chemical reaction in the presence of heat or light to form one or more styrene sulfonated nitrene monomers, polymers or copolymers, which are capable of chemically reacting with the surface of a polymeric or textile material to endow a specific or desired chemical surface functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material. Furthermore, the present invention is possibly preferably directed to a surface modifying agent which comprises a styrene sulfonated nitrene monomer, polymer or polymer containing one or more nitrene functional groups, which are capable of chemically reacting via an insertion reaction into one or more carbon-hydrogen bonds on the surface of a polymeric or textile material in order to chemically attach a specific or desired chemical functionality to the surface of a polymeric or textile material.

A gas separation membrane comprising the following layers: (i) a porous support layer; and (ii) a discriminating layer comprising groups of the Formula (1): M(O).sub.x, wherein: M is a metal or metalloid atom; O is an oxygen atom; and x has a value of at least 4; optionally (iii) a layer which comprises a fluorinated polymer; and optionally (iv) optionally a protective layer; wherein: (a) the porous support layer (i) comprises less than 10 mg/m.sup.2 of monovalent metal ions; (b) the discriminating layer (ii) comprises a surface comprising at least 10 atomic % of M of Formula (1) groups, wherein M is as hereinbefore defined; and (c) when layer (iii) is present, layer (ii) is located between layers (i) and (iii).

Durable asymmetric composite membranes consisting essentially of a film of cross-linked sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) adhered to a sheet of hydrophilicitized microporous poly(ethylene) are disclosed. The membranes have application in the recovery of water from feed streams where the ability to clean in situ is desirable, for example in dairy processing. Methods of preparing cross-linked sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) suitable for use as the rejection layer and hydrophilicitized sheets of microporous poly(ethylene) suitable for use as the support layer of such membranes are also disclosed.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a gas permeable support layer, an inorganic layer disposed on the support, the inorganic layer comprising a plurality of discreet nanoparticles having an average particle size of less than 1 micron, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the inorganic layer, the selective polymer layer comprising a selective polymer having a CO.sub.2:N.sub.2 selectivity of at least 10 at 57 C. In some embodiments, the membrane can be selectively permeable to an acidic gas. The membranes can be used, for example, to separate gaseous mixtures, such as flue gas.

A method for forming an isoporous graded film comprising multiblock copolymers and isoporous graded films. The films have a surface layer and a bulk layer. The surface layer can have at least 1?10.sup.14 pores/m.sup.2 and a pore size distribution (d.sub.max/d.sub.min)) of less than 3. The bulk layer has an asymmetric structure. The films can be used in filtration applications.