A heat exchanger for a blood circulation circuit comprises a hollow fiber membrane layer having a plurality of hollow fiber membranes, and a fixing portion fixing both end portions of the hollow fiber membranes from outsides of the hollow fiber membranes. The fixing portion mainly contains polyurethane, and each of the hollow fiber membranes has a heat conductive layer containing high density polyethylene, and an adhesion layer provided on an outside of the heat conductive layer, bonded to the fixing portion, and mainly containing a modified polyolefin resin.

A carbon dioxide separation membrane according to the present invention includes: an ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) having an ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) retained in voids; and an ionic liquid non-affinitive porous layer (B). The ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may contain inorganic materials (for example, metal oxide particles having an average particle size of about 0.001 to 5 μm on a number basis). An average thickness of the ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may be about from 0.01 to 10 μm. The ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may include the ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) at a ratio from 0.1 to 99 parts by volume with respect to 100 parts by volume of voids. It may be a carbon dioxide separation membrane for fertilizing plants with carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide separation membrane can reduce a size of the carbon dioxide concentrating device and enables smooth operation of the device.

A carbon dioxide separation membrane according to the present invention includes: an ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) having an ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) retained in voids; and an ionic liquid non-affinitive porous layer (B). The ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may contain inorganic materials (for example, metal oxide particles having an average particle size of about 0.001 to 5 μm on a number basis). An average thickness of the ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may be about from 0.01 to 10 μm. The ionic liquid affinitive porous layer (C) may include the ionic liquid-containing liquid (A) at a ratio from 0.1 to 99 parts by volume with respect to 100 parts by volume of voids. It may be a carbon dioxide separation membrane for fertilizing plants with carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide separation membrane can reduce a size of the carbon dioxide concentrating device and enables smooth operation of the device.

A composite material is provided comprising a porous polymeric matrix having metal-organic framework (MOF) domains dispersed within the porous polymeric matrix, each of said MOF domains in fluid communication with the external environment through the pores in the porous polymeric matrix. A process of using the composite material to chemically modify or detoxify a chemical warfare agent or a toxic industrial chemical is also provided. The chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical is brought into contact with a MOF domain within the porous polymeric matrix so that the MOFs adsorb and chemically modify the chemical warfare agent or the toxic industrial chemical. A process for producing such a composite material is also disclosed.

A nanomembrane and a forming method thereof are provided. The nanomembrane according to embodiments of the present invention comprises an elastomer layer and nanostructures disposed on the elastomer layer. The method for forming a nanomembrane according to embodiments of the present invention comprises forming a nanocomposite solution comprising nanostructures and an elastomer solution, forming an elastomer solution layer by providing the nanocomposite solution on a first solvent, and forming an elastomer layer by drying the elastomer solution layer, and forming a nanomembrane comprising the elastomer layer and the nanostructures bonded to the elastomer layer. The nanocomposite solution is formed by mixing the nanostructures and the elastomer solution with a second solvent, and the elastomer solution is formed by mixing elastomer and a third solvent.

Composite materials for removing hydrophobic components from a fluid include a porous matrix polymer, carbon nanotubes grafted to surfaces of the porous matrix polymer, and polystyrene chains grafted to the carbon nanotubes. Examples of porous matrix polymer include polyurethanes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes. Membranes of the composite material may be enclosed within a fluid-permeable pouch to form a fluid treatment apparatus, such that by contacting the apparatus with a fluid mixture containing water and a hydrophobic component, the hydrophobic component absorbs selectively into the membrane. The apparatus may be removed from the fluid mixture and reused after the hydrophobic component is expelled from the membrane. The composite material may be prepared by grafting functionalized carbon nanotubes to a porous matrix polymer to form a polymer-nanotube composite, then polymerizing styrene onto the carbon nanotubes of the polymer-nanotube composite.

Composite materials for removing hydrophobic components from a fluid include a porous matrix polymer, carbon nanotubes grafted to surfaces of the porous matrix polymer, and polystyrene chains grafted to the carbon nanotubes. Examples of porous matrix polymer include polyurethanes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes. Membranes of the composite material may be enclosed within a fluid-permeable pouch to form a fluid treatment apparatus, such that by contacting the apparatus with a fluid mixture containing water and a hydrophobic component, the hydrophobic component absorbs selectively into the membrane. The apparatus may be removed from the fluid mixture and reused after the hydrophobic component is expelled from the membrane. The composite material may be prepared by grafting functionalized carbon nanotubes to a porous matrix polymer to form a polymer-nanotube composite, then polymerizing styrene onto the carbon nanotubes of the polymer-nanotube composite.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for purifying aqueous solutions. For example, disclosed herein are flexible membrane distillation systems comprising one or more stages stacked on top of each other, wherein each stage comprises: a feedwater layer; a membrane distillation layer; a distillate layer; and a thermally conductive layer. The systems further comprise substantially impermeable top surface, bottom surface, and perimeter. Each feedwater layer is independently receives a portion of a contaminated aqueous solution (a feed solution). Each feedwater layer further receives heat from a heat source to distill at least a portion of the feed solution through the membrane distillation layer, thereby producing a distillate in the distillate layer. Distilling said portion of the feed solution through the membrane distillation layer purifies said portion of the feed solution to produce a purified aqueous solution, which is condensed in the distillate layer to form a condensate.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for purifying aqueous solutions. For example, disclosed herein are flexible membrane distillation systems comprising one or more stages stacked on top of each other, wherein each stage comprises: a feedwater layer; a membrane distillation layer; a distillate layer; and a thermally conductive layer. The systems further comprise substantially impermeable top surface, bottom surface, and perimeter. Each feedwater layer is independently receives a portion of a contaminated aqueous solution (a feed solution). Each feedwater layer further receives heat from a heat source to distill at least a portion of the feed solution through the membrane distillation layer, thereby producing a distillate in the distillate layer. Distilling said portion of the feed solution through the membrane distillation layer purifies said portion of the feed solution to produce a purified aqueous solution, which is condensed in the distillate layer to form a condensate.

A polymerizable composition for forming an ion-exchange resin precursor, the polymerizable composition containing a monomer component and polyethylene particles in an amount of 50 to 120 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the monomer component, wherein the monomer component contains an aromatic monomer for introducing ion-exchange groups and a nitrogen-containing aliphatic monomer, the nitrogen-containing aliphatic monomer being present in an amount of 10 to 35% by mass in said monomer component. An ion-exchange membrane is produced by applying the polymerizable composition onto a polyolefin type filament base material and polymerizing the polymerizable composition to form an ion-exchange resin precursor and, thereafter, introducing ion-exchange groups into the precursor.