Some embodiments comprise membranes comprising a first layer comprising a porous graphene-based material; a second layer comprising a porous graphene-based material; a channel positioned between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the channel has a tunable channel diameter; and at least one spacer substance positioned in the channel, wherein the spacer substance is responsive to the environmental stimulus. In some cases, the membranes have more than two layers of porous graphene-based material. Permeability of a membrane can be altered by exposing the membrane to an environmental stimulus. Membranes can be used in methods of water filtration, immune-isolation, timed drug release (e.g., sustained or delayed release), hemodialysis, or hemofiltration.

A semipermeable membrane according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a semipermeable membrane layer containing an amorphous resin as a main component, and a sheet-like supporting body that supports the semipermeable membrane layer. The supporting body has a porous first supporting layer and a porous second supporting layer laminated on one of surfaces of the first supporting layer. The second supporting layer has a smaller mean flow pore diameter than the first supporting layer. The second supporting layer is impregnated with the semipermeable membrane layer. A ratio of the mean flow pore diameter of the second supporting layer to the mean flow pore diameter of the first supporting layer is preferably 1/1,000 or more and 1/5 or less. The mean flow pore diameter of the first supporting layer is preferably 0.05 ?m or more and 20 ?m or less, and the mean flow pore diameter of the second supporting layer is preferably 0.01 ?m or more and 1 ?m or less.

The present disclosure provides a multilayer article. The multilayer article includes a) a microfiltration membrane substrate; b) a first layer directly attached to the first major surface of the microfiltration membrane substrate; and c) a second layer directly attached to the first layer. The first layer includes a first polymeric binder and acid-sintered interconnected first silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. The second layer includes acid-sintered interconnected second silica nanoparticles arranged to form a continuous three-dimensional porous network. The present disclosure also provides a method for forming a multilayer article. The method includes (a) saturating a microfiltration membrane substrate with a liquid; (b) applying a first aqueous coating formulation to at least a portion of a first major surface of the microfiltration membrane substrate to form a coated substrate; (c) sintering the coated substrate, thereby forming a first layer; (d) applying a second aqueous coating formulation to the first major surface of the first layer to form a twice-coated substrate; and (e) sintering the twice-coated substrate.

Described are silicon carbide filters for use with liquid metals such as liquid tin, as well as methods of using such a filter to remove particles from the liquid metal, and systems and processes that use the filtered liquid metal.

Asymmetric membrane structures are provided that are suitable for hydrocarbon reverse osmosis of small hydrocarbons. Separation of para-xylene from ortho- and meta-xylene is an example of a separation that can be performed using hydrocarbon reverse osmosis. Hydrocarbon reverse osmosis separations can be incorporated into a para-xylene isomerization and recovery system in a variety of manners.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a porous body by which a porous body having a plurality of layers different from each other in pore diameter can be manufactured more easily than before. The method includes heating a raw material solution including a metal ion and an organic ligand to synthesize an interpenetrated metal-organic framework layer; and after synthesizing the interpenetrated metal-organic framework layer, synthesizing a non-interpenetrated metal-organic framework layer under conditions in which concentrations of the metal ion and the organic ligand in the raw material solution and/or a heat temperature are lower than that in synthesizing the interpenetrated metal-organic framework, to obtain a porous body including the interpenetrated metal-organic framework layer and the non-interpenetrated metal-organic framework layer stacked together.

Disclosed herein are ceramic selective membranes and methods of forming the ceramic selective membranes by forming a selective silica ceramic on a porous membrane substrate. Representative ceramic selective membranes include ion-conductive membranes (e.g., proton-conducting membranes) and gas selective membranes. Representative uses for the membranes include incorporation into fuel cells and redox flow batteries (RFB) as ion-conducting membranes.

A device and methods are disclosed herein for fluid removal during wound treatment or for removal or dialysis of components from blood or tissue. A device is disclosed that includes a multilayer membrane including a plurality of layers; an electroactive polymer within each layer; and a controller operably connected to sequentially activate the electroactive polymer to alter one or more sizes of the plurality of the variably-sized pores within one or more layers of the multilayer membrane. A device is disclosed that includes a multilayer membrane including a plurality of layers; an actuator operably attached to the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane; and a controller operably activating the actuator to alter a relative lateral position of the two or more layers of the multilayer membrane to align two or more of the plurality of pores within the plurality of layers of the multilayer membrane.

The present invention relates to a method of preparing a perm-selective porous membrane and a method of separating gases using the prepared porous membrane. According to the present invention, a membrane is synthesized using a hierarchically structured alumina porous support by a counter diffusion method. During this synthesis, the diffusion rate of metal ions loaded on the porous support is controlled by controlling the pore size of the porous support, and the position at which the membrane is synthesized is controlled by synthesizing the membrane inside the support. This can increase the physical stability of the membrane and make the membrane thicker so as to ensure higher H.sub.2/CO.sub.2 separation factors.

A bi-layered superhydrophobic membrane includes top and base layers formed from polypropylene. The bi-layered superhydrophobic membrane can have a thickness ranging from about 100 ?m to about 1 mm. When subjected to oil-water emulsion separations, the superhydrophobic membrane can achieve an organic solvent flux of 14,000 Lm.sup.?2h.sup.?1 with a 96% water rejection. The bi-layered superhydrophobic membrane can be effectively used for water filtration, providing both selectivity and permeability, while offering an eco-friendly solution for reuse of polypropylene plastic waste.