A carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane having improved separation characteristics for separating olefins from their corresponding paraffins is comprised of carbon with at most trace amounts of sulfur and a transition metal, wherein the transition metal is one or more of a group 4-10 and 12 transition metal. The CMS membrane may be made by pyrolyzing a precursor polymer devoid of sulfur in which the precursor polymer has had a transition metal incorporated into it. The pyrolyzing for the precursor having the transition metal incorporated into it is performed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere and at a heating rate and temperature such that the metal has a valence greater than zero (i.e., not metal bonded) to a valence desirably closer to its maximum valence.

Disclosed herein is an ion selective separation membrane including: a metal organic framework layer formed on, in, and/or around a substrate, the metal organic framework having a crystal structure that includes a first surface and a second surface and includes ion transport channels formed between respective pore windows in the first surface and the second surface; first and second electrodes to apply a potential difference across the membrane; wherein the respective pore windows have a pore size that is less than the hydrated diameter of the ion for which the ion selective separation membrane is selective.

A microfluidic assembly can include a first microchannel substrate defining one or more first microchannels, a second microchannel substrate defining one or more second microchannels. The assembly can further include a membrane positioned between the first and second microchannel substrates and comprising a first polymeric layer, a second polymeric layer, and one or more graphene layers disposed between the first and second polymeric layers. At least a portion of the first microchannels can overlap at least a portion of the second microchannels such that, when a first fluid is present in the first microchannels and a second fluid is present in the second microchannels, the first fluid and the second fluid contact opposite sides of the membrane.

Provided are porous polymeric filter membranes comprising a polymer having admixed therein at least one carbonaceous material. The membranes are capable of removing trace amounts of various impurities from a liquid composition, including metal ions, acids, bases, and organic contaminants.

An illustrated view of an exemplary air filter for reducing emissions is presented. The air filter is useful for removing toxic gases from the air surrounding a combustion engine of a vehicle is presented. The air filter is useful for scrubbing the ambient air for removal of toxic contaminants such as carbon dioxide and thus reducing harmful emissions of a vehicle. The air filter though described for a vehicle can also be used in industry settings as well as at home. The air filter is recyclable. Although a vehicle is shown, it is an example only. Other applications are possible and have been contemplated for the air filter 100 including, but not limited to, commercial applications, home applications, industrial applications, etc.

Disclosed herein are carbon molecular sieves and methods of making the same through the pyrolysis of a polymer precursor in the presence of a reactive gas stream including a hydrogen source.

A membrane is described for purifying or separating hydrogen from a multi-component gas stream such as syngas. This membrane uses a molecular pre-treatment, a transition metal, fluorine containing polymer, carbon fibers and carbon matrix sintered on a supportive screen. The membrane may be a bilayer membrane comprised of a layer containing high surface area carbon and another layer containing lower surface area carbon. Methods for purifying hydrogen are also described.

A method and a system for the coproduction of hydrogen, electrical power, and heat energy. An exemplary method includes desulfurizing a feed stream to form a desulfurized feed stream, reforming the desulfurized feed stream to form a methane rich gas, and providing the methane rich gas to a membrane separator. A hydrogen stream is produced in a permeate from the membrane separator. A retentate stream from the membrane separator is provided to a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). Electrical power is produced in the SOFC from the retentate stream.

A nanocarbon immobilized membrane (NCIM) is disclosed. The nanocarbon immobilized membrane is sized to purify different organic-water mixtures. The nanocarbon immobilized membrane can be used to purify solvents, fuels, and other organic compounds. Data using heptane-water, octane-water, fuel-water, and paint thinner-water show 99.9% separation efficiency. High organic flux is also seen at relatively low pressure. This approach has numerous applications, including fuel purification, oil spills clean-up, separation of commercial emulsions, and solvent purification.

A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane is presented. The method includes stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets and forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants. The method further includes cross-linking the plurality of GO nanosheets by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a polydopamine coated polysulfone support.