Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membranes can comprise a support layer, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. In some cases, the support layer can comprise a gas permeable polymer and hydrophilic additive dispersed within the gas permeable polymer. In some cases, the selective polymer layer can comprise a selective polymer matrix and carbon nanotubes dispersed within the selective polymer matrix. The membranes can exhibit selective permeability to gases. As such, the membranes can be for the selective removal of carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from hydrogen and/or nitrogen.

A thermally reflective membrane apparatus comprises a housing structure, and a thermally reflective membrane contained within the housing structure. The thermally reflective membrane comprises a semipermeable structure, and a porous, thermally reflective structure physically contacting the semipermeable structure. The porous, thermally reflective structure comprises discrete thermally reflective particles, and a binder material coupling the discrete thermally reflective particles to one another and the semipermeable structure. A fluid treatment system and method of treating a fluid are also described.

A filter including a porous support defining one or more channels therethrough, and a porous ceramic membrane layer on a surface of the porous support defining at least one of the one or more channels. The ceramic membrane layer includes an inorganic ceramic composition having the formula SiM.sup.p.sub.xpC.sub.yN.sub.zO.sub.mH.sub.n, where each M.sup.p present is independently selected from a p-block element or a d-block element; p is an integer from 1 to 5; for each M.sup.p present, xp is independently from about 0 to about 60; y is from about 0 to about 60; z is from about 0 to about 60; m is from about 0 to about 40; and n is zero or nonzero. At least one of y and z is nonzero when p is zero, and p is nonzero when y and z are both zero.

A method for improving the airtightness of a building or a room in a building, includes using a vapor barrier membrane on the inner face of the walls of the building or the room in the building, wherein the vapor barrier membrane is a humidity-regulating membrane including an active portion which includes a middle layer having a thickness of 2 m to 200 m, and consisting of a biopolymer having a water vapor permeability coefficient P.sub.1 which increases with average relative humidity and which, when determined at 23 C. and at an average relative humidity of 25.5%, is at least 300 Barrers, and, on either side of the middle layer and in contact with the latter, two outer layers with a thickness of 100 nm to 20 m, and consisting, independently of each other, of an organic polymer having both a water vapor permeability coefficient P.sub.2.

Described are filtration membranes that include a porous fluoropolymer membrane and thermally stable ionic groups; filters and filter components that include these filtration membranes; methods of making the filtration membranes, filters, and filter components; and method of using a filtration membrane, filter component, or filter to remove unwanted material from fluid.

This invention is directed to an aromatic material based free-standing film, a hybrid of organic crystalline materials and inorganic carbon nanomaterials, process of preparation and uses thereof. The film, which comprises a fibrous organic nanocrystals of an aromatic material, is mechanically and thermally stable. This film is optionally reinforced by hybridization with a reinforcement material, such as carbon nanotube, carbon material, a polysaccharide, a nanoclay a metal, metal alloy, or an organic polymer. The hybrid film of organic nanocrystals and carbon nanotubes (ONC/CNT) has high conductivity and high thermal stability. The films or hybrids of this invention are used as microfiltration membranes for various materials, in electrodes or perovskite solar cells.

The hydrogen separation filter includes a porous substrate and a super lattice layer on the porous substrate. The super lattice layer includes at least one lattice expansion layer containing a first material and at least two hydrogen dissociation and permeation layers containing a second material selected from the group consisting of Pd, V, Ta, Ti, Nb, and alloys thereof. The at least one lattice expansion layer and the at least two hydrogen dissociation and permeation layers are alternately stacked. The first material and the second material have a same crystalline structure. A lattice constant a.sub.1,bulk of a first bulk material haying a same composition and a same crystalline structure as the first material and a lattice constant a.sub.2,bulk of a second bulk material having a same composition and a same crystalline structure as the second material satisfy Formula (1):

1.03a.sub.2,bulka.sub.1,bulk1.15a.sub.2,bulk(1)

Filter media having a relatively small pore size and related components, systems, and methods associated therewith are provided. The filter media may include a fibrous efficiency layer, a fibrous support layer, and a third layer adjacent to the efficiency layer. The efficiency layer may impart a relatively homogeneous pore structure to the filter media without adding substantial bulk to the filter media. The support layer may promote the homogeneity of the pore structure. For example, the support layer may prevent and/or minimize defects in the relatively thin efficiency layer that may result from manufacturing and/or processing. The third layer may serve to impart beneficial filtration (e.g., efficiency, dust holding capacity) and/or non-filtration (e.g., layer protection) properties to the filter media without adversely affecting one or more properties of the filter media. Filter media, as described herein, may be particularly well-suited for applications that involve liquid filtration, amongst other applications.

A membrane for the purification of blood, or a dialysis membrane, in hollow-fiber membrane or flat membrane geometry, made of a composite assembled from at least a base membrane based on at least one polysulfone or a polyphenylsulfone with at least one pore-forming hydrophilic additive and at least one functional layer arranged on the base membrane, whereby the functional layer is formed from at least one polymeric polycationic bonding agent and at least one polymeric polyanion, whereby the base membrane is made of a material which is selected from: a polysulfone [PSU], a sulfonated polysulfone [SPSU], a polyethersulfone [PES], a sulfonated polyethersulfone [SPES], a polyphenylsulfone [PPSU], a sulfonated polyphenylsulfone [SPPSU]; and mixtures of these.

Provided is a reverse osmosis membrane using a hydrophilized polyolefin-based microporous membrane.

A reverse osmosis membrane according to the present invention may provide a large treatment area per unit volume by using a thin film type support, thereby improving water treatment performance.