According to the present invention, in separating carbon dioxide by a membrane separation with a separation membrane system using an inorganic separation membrane from a mixed gas containing methane and carbon dioxide, and then by an acid gas removal process using an absorbent, by specifying the suitable range of the carbon dioxide mole fraction at the outlet on the carbon dioxide non-permeation side X.sub.CO2 in the membrane separation, which corresponds to an ideal separation factor of the inorganic separation membrane, the proper distribution conditions become feasible. As a result, a method for separating carbon dioxide in which the decrease of the production amount by methane permeation in the membrane separation and the energy loss accompanying the decrease are suppressed, and further the energy consumption in an acid gas removal process using an absorbent, which is a post-process, can be suppressed, is provided.

A method for fabricating a nanopore at a particular location in a membrane includes controlling a dielectric strength of the membrane at a particular location on the membrane while applying one of an electric potential or an electric current to the membrane, monitoring an electrical property across the membrane while one of the electric potential or the electric current is being applied across the membrane, detecting an abrupt change in the electrical property across the membrane while one of the electric potential or the electric current is being applied across the membrane; and removing the electric potential or the electric current from the membrane in response to detecting the abrupt change in the electrical property.

A method for manufacturing a porous membrane includes: mixing silicon carbide powders and a coagulant to form a first mixture; adding a sintering aid to the first mixture to form a second mixture; compressing the second mixture; and sintering the compressed second mixture. More particularly, the coagulant is in an amount of 1% to 3% by weight of the silicon carbide powders and the sintering aid is in an amount of 10% by weight of the first mixture.

Provided are monolithic structures comprising one or more suspended, nanoporous membranes that are in contact with one or more fluidic cavities, methods of making same, and exemplary uses of same. The monolithic structures can be formed using a transmembrane etch. The monolithic structures can be used, as examples, as filters and filtration modules in microfluidic devices, dialysis devices, and concentration devices in laboratory, industrial, and medical processes.

A process and system for cleaning semipermeable membranes is described that is particularly well suited for cleaning membranes contained in a water purification system, such as a reverse osmosis process. In order to clean the filter membranes, the membranes are placed in a cleaning chamber capable of allowing a reduction in pressure. In one embodiment, for instance, the membranes are contained in a filter housing and the filter housing is converted into a cleaning chamber by sealing off at least one end. The membranes are then submerged in a cleaning fluid and the pressure within the cleaning chamber is reduced causing the cleaning fluid to form bubbles. The process and system of the present disclosure is well suited to cleaning filter membranes, particularly ceramic membranes, in-line without having to remove the membranes from the water purification system.

Provided herein are methods for making a freeze-cast material having a internal structure, the methods comprising steps of: determining the internal structure of the material, the internal structure having a plurality of pores, wherein: each of the plurality of pores has directionality; and the step of determining comprises: selecting a temperature gradient and a freezing front velocity to obtain the determined internal structure based on the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity; directionally freezing a liquid formulation to form a frozen solid, the step of directionally freezing comprising: controlling the temperature gradient and the freezing front velocity to match the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity during directionally freezing; wherein the liquid formulation comprises at least one solvent and at least one dispersed species; and subliming the at least one solvent out of the frozen solid to form the material.

Provided are methods, devices, and kits for the isolation of extracellular vesicles using silicon nanomembranes. A method for EV isolation includes the steps of collecting a biofluid sample, contacting the biofluid sample with a pre-filtration membrane, thereby forming a first filtrate and a first retentate, optionally, washing the first retentate of the pre-filtration membrane, contacting the first filtrate from the pre-filtration membrane with a capture membrane, thereby forming a second filtrate and a second retentate, optionally, washing the second retentate, and eluting the second retentate from the capture membrane or lysing the second retentate to recover the contents.

The apparatus for making a nanopore in a membrane generally has an electrode configured to connect to one of two opposing surfaces of the membrane; a conductive tip configured to contact a location of the other one of the two opposing surfaces of the membrane; and a voltage source electrically connected between the electrode and the conductive tip and operable to generate an electric potential across the membrane, the electric potential locally removing material of the membrane at the location to make the nanopore.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of a porous ceramic body, the method comprises the following steps: (i) selecting a ceramic powder; (ii) selecting a binder comprising a pre-ceramic polymer; (iii) mixing the ceramic powder from step (i) with the binder from step (ii) providing a ceramic composition; (iv) coating a porous support with the ceramic composition providing a ceramic coated porous support; (v) heating the ceramic coated porous support to a temperature between 500 C.-1500 C. producing the porous ceramic body.

Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to the flow of analytes, particles or other materials. As consistent with one or more embodiments described herein, an apparatus includes a membrane having one or more pores in a membrane. First and second electrodes facilitate electrophoretic flow of analytes through the pore, and a third electrode controls movement of the particles in the pore by modulating the shape of an electric double layer adjacent sidewalls of pore. This modulation controls the strength of an electroosmotic field that opposes the electrophoretic flow of the analytes via the pore.