Multilayer single-bore hollow fibre membranes M or multilayer multi-bore hollow fibre membranes M for ultrafiltration applications are disclosed, comprising at least one hollow fibre membrane substrate S comprising a polymer bulk material P1 and at least one functional layer F disposed on at least the inner surface of the hollow fibre membrane substrate S, wherein the functional layer F comprises at least one polymer P2. The hollow fibre membranes may be used in ultrafiltration methods and filtration modules, in particular for the treatment of waste water.

A functional polymer membrane of the present invention contains a polymer containing at least a structure represented by the following Formula (I), a method for producing the membrane, and an ion exchange apparatus: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R.sup.3 to R.sup.6 each represent a substituent; R.sup.3 to R.sup.6 may be bonded to each other and form a ring; A.sup.1 to A.sup.4 each represent a single bond or a divalent linking group; M.sup.1 represents a hydrogen ion, an organic base ion, or a metal ion; J.sup.1 represents a single bond, O, S, SO.sub.2, CO, CR.sup.8R.sup.9, or an alkenylene group, and R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogen atom; and k1, k2, k3, k4, n1, n2, m1, m2, p, and q each represent a particular integer.

A functional polymer membrane of the present invention contains a polymer containing at least a structure represented by the following Formula (I), a method for producing the membrane, and an ion exchange apparatus: ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; R.sup.3 to R.sup.6 each represent a substituent; R.sup.3 to R.sup.6 may be bonded to each other and form a ring; A.sup.1 to A.sup.4 each represent a single bond or a divalent linking group; M.sup.1 represents a hydrogen ion, an organic base ion, or a metal ion; J.sup.1 represents a single bond, O, S, SO.sub.2, CO, CR.sup.8R.sup.9, or an alkenylene group, and R.sup.8 and R.sup.9 each represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, or a halogen atom; and k1, k2, k3, k4, n1, n2, m1, m2, p, and q each represent a particular integer.

A process for separating aggregated proteins from monomeric proteins in a biological solution, the process including: providing at least one filter element having a contacting surface, wherein the filter element comprises filter media comprising: a porous substrate; and disposed on the porous substrate, a polymer comprising a hydrocarbon backbone and a plurality of pendant groups attached to the hydrocarbon backbone, wherein each of a first plurality of pendant groups comprises: (1) at least one acidic group or salt thereof; and (2) a spacer group that directly links the at least one acidic group or salt thereof to the hydrocarbon backbone by a chain of at least 6 catenated atoms; and allowing an initial biological solution to contact the contacting surface of the filter element N under conditions effective to separate the aggregated proteins from the monomeric proteins such that a final biological solution includes purified monomeric proteins.

Provided is a method for separating a specific gas from a raw gas using a gas separation membrane module that includes a gas separation membrane element enclosed in a housing. The element includes a gas separation membrane including a hydrophilic resin composition layer. The method includes: preparing the module; increasing pressure in an interior of the module; increasing a temperature in the interior; and feeding a raw gas to the interior. The layer of the module prepared is adjusted to contain moisture, and a moisture content thereof is an amount that allows an equilibrium relative humidity at a temperature of 23 C. of a gas phase portion in the housing to be 10% RH or more. The raw gas feeding step is performed after the preparation step. The pressure increase step and the temperature increase step are performed after the preparation step and before the raw gas feeding step.

Viral filtration media, an article comprising the viral filtration media, and a method of filtering a virus-containing sample using the viral filtration media, wherein the viral filtration media comprises: a porous substrate comprising a surface having a polymer grafted thereto, wherein the grafted polymer comprises interpolymerized monomers comprising: a (meth)acrylic acid monomer: and, optionally, a poly (alkylene oxide) monomer.

Disclosed is a method for the production of a porous polymer membrane suitable for liquid filtration or analyte capture, comprising the steps of: providing a flowable composition (100) on a substrate (220) the composition including at least: photo-activatable monomer molecules, photo activation initiator molecules and photo-activation quencher molecules; providing one or more pulses (L) of laser light at at least one focal point in the composition of sufficient energy to locally polymerise the composition; moving the or each focal point relative to the previously polymerised composition in a continuous or stepwise predetermined manner to a multiplicity of further positions; and repeating the pulse(s) at those further positions such that a three dimensional matrix of the composition is polymerised leaving unpolymerized areas of a size equivalent to conventional polymer membrane pores.

A method for in situ production of antimicrobial filtration membranes that uses self-assembly of surfactants such as block copolymers as a template. The mesophase structure (for example hexagonal or lamellar) can be determined, and membrane pore size can be controlled in the nanometer range, by changing the block copolymer and the amounts of the components such as the block copolymer, aqueous solution, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. The monomer phase cures in the template and there is no need for organic solvents and coagulation bath or other post-modification. As-synthesized membranes were found to have pore sizes with a narrow size distribution in the range of 3-4 nm with a molecular weight cutoff of 1500 g/mol and displayed both excellent fouling resistance and high permeance of water, vastly outperforming a conventional NIPS UF membrane. The monomer can comprise a quaternary ammonium group so that the membrane is antibacterial. The block copolymer can comprise hydrophilic blocks which form the surfaces of the membrane pores, rendering them hydrophilic.

A method for in situ production of antimicrobial filtration membranes that uses self-assembly of surfactants such as block copolymers as a template. The mesophase structure (for example hexagonal or lamellar) can be determined, and membrane pore size can be controlled in the nanometer range, by changing the block copolymer and the amounts of the components such as the block copolymer, aqueous solution, monomer, crosslinker, and initiator. The monomer phase cures in the template and there is no need for organic solvents and coagulation bath or other post-modification. As-synthesized membranes were found to have pore sizes with a narrow size distribution in the range of 3-4 nm with a molecular weight cutoff of 1500 g/mol and displayed both excellent fouling resistance and high permeance of water, vastly outperforming a conventional NIPS UF membrane. The monomer can comprise a quaternary ammonium group so that the membrane is antibacterial. The block copolymer can comprise hydrophilic blocks which form the surfaces of the membrane pores, rendering them hydrophilic.

A crosslinkable copolymer is provided. The crosslinkable copolymer has pendant cationic nitrogen-containing groups with some, but not all, of these pendant groups further including a (meth)acryloyl group. The (meth)acryloyl groups can react to form a crosslinked copolymer that is ionically conductive. The crosslinked copolymer can be used to provide an anion exchange membrane that can be used in electrochemical cells such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, batteries, and electrodialysis cells.