The present invention relates to a copolymer containing a constitutional unit derived from acrylic acid cesium salt or acrylic acid rubidium salt and a constitutional unit derived from vinyl alcohol, a resin composition containing the copolymer, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane which can be manufactured with the resin composition, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane module having the separation membrane, and a carbon dioxide gas separation apparatus including at least one type of the module.

The present invention relates to a copolymer containing a constitutional unit derived from acrylic acid cesium salt or acrylic acid rubidium salt and a constitutional unit derived from vinyl alcohol, a resin composition containing the copolymer, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane which can be manufactured with the resin composition, a carbon dioxide gas separation membrane module having the separation membrane, and a carbon dioxide gas separation apparatus including at least one type of the module.

Hollow fiber membranes having improved toughness and durability are prepared using a vinylidene fluoride polymer-containing component, such as Kynaro resins, having relatively low crystallinity. One aspect of the invention provides a membrane in the form of a fiber, wherein i) the fiber has a porous wall of a polymeric component enclosing a central hollow space extending the length of the fiber, ii) the polymeric component has a crystallinity as determined by wide angle x-ray diffraction of less than about 35%, iii) the polymeric component is comprised of at least one homopolymer or copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and iv) the membrane has an energy to break of at least about 0.5 J per square mm of membrane cross section.

Hollow fiber membranes having improved toughness and durability are prepared using a vinylidene fluoride polymer-containing component, such as Kynaro resins, having relatively low crystallinity. One aspect of the invention provides a membrane in the form of a fiber, wherein i) the fiber has a porous wall of a polymeric component enclosing a central hollow space extending the length of the fiber, ii) the polymeric component has a crystallinity as determined by wide angle x-ray diffraction of less than about 35%, iii) the polymeric component is comprised of at least one homopolymer or copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and iv) the membrane has an energy to break of at least about 0.5 J per square mm of membrane cross section.

Provided is a moisture permeable filter medium formed by laminating a hydrophobic layer having hydrophobicity and a hydrophilic layer having hydrophilicity together, in which one of the hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic layer is composed of a PTFE porous film formed using PTFE, and the other of the hydrophobic layer and the hydrophilic layer is composed of an air permeable sheet to which air is permeable.

The invention provides a method of coating a fabric, e.g. a textile material, with a polymer coating, which method comprises contacting a fabric with a monomer and subjecting the monomer to low power plasma polymerization, wherein the monomer comprises the general formula (I): C.sub.nF.sub.2n+1C.sub.mX.sub.2mCR.sub.1Y—OCO—C(R.sub.2)═CH.sub.2, wherein n is 2 to 6, m is 0 to 9, X and Y are H, F, Cl, Br or I, R.sub.1 is H or alkyl, e.g. —CH.sub.3, or a substituted alkyl, e.g. an at least partially halo-substituted alkyl, and R.sub.2 is H or alkyl, e.g. —CH.sub.3 or a substituted alkyl, e.g. an at least partially halo-substituted alkyl.

The invention provides a method of coating a fabric, e.g. a textile material, with a polymer coating, which method comprises contacting a fabric with a monomer and subjecting the monomer to low power plasma polymerization, wherein the monomer comprises the general formula (I): C.sub.nF.sub.2n+1C.sub.mX.sub.2mCR.sub.1Y—OCO—C(R.sub.2)═CH.sub.2, wherein n is 2 to 6, m is 0 to 9, X and Y are H, F, Cl, Br or I, R.sub.1 is H or alkyl, e.g. —CH.sub.3, or a substituted alkyl, e.g. an at least partially halo-substituted alkyl, and R.sub.2 is H or alkyl, e.g. —CH.sub.3 or a substituted alkyl, e.g. an at least partially halo-substituted alkyl.

A process for separating components or a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous per fluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for certain fluid components of interest while maintaining fast permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.

A process for separating components or a fluid mixture using membranes comprising a selective layer made from copolymers of an amorphous per fluorinated dioxolane and a fluorovinyl monomer. The resulting membranes have superior selectivity performance for certain fluid components of interest while maintaining fast permeance compared to membranes prepared using conventional perfluoropolymers, such as Teflon® AF, Hyflon® AD, and Cytop®.

Described herein is a crosslinked graphene and biopolymer (e.g. lignin) based composite membrane that provides selective resistance for gases while providing water vapor permeability. Methods for making such membranes, and methods of using the membranes for dehydrating mixtures, are also described.