The present invention aims to provide a water treatment chemical that can impart good water permeability and good water permeability retention to a water treatment membrane. The present invention relates to a water treatment chemical containing a polymer that contains a structural unit (I) represented by a formula (1) and a structural unit (II) derived from a carboxy group-containing monomer. The formula (1) is represented by the following formula:

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 is a direct bond, CH.sub.2, CH.sub.2CH.sub.2, or CO; R.sup.3s are the same as or different from each other and are each a C1-C20 alkylene group; X is CH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2(OH) or CH(CH.sub.2OH).sub.2; and n is a number of moles of oxyalkylene groups added and is 0 to 100.

Provided herein are electrospun or electroblown non-woven fiber membranes, methods of making such membranes and lateral flow diagnostic devices comprising such membranes.

A monolayer membrane containing gelling polymer particles having at least one of a basic functional group and an acidic functional group, and having a thickness of less than 5 m. A composite having a porous carrier and gelling polymer particles having at least any one of a basic functional group and an acidic functional group and filling up the surface pores of the porous carrier. The invention can provide a novel material capable of efficiently separating an acid gas from a mixed gas.

The present invention relates to CO.sub.2 capture from gas mixtures by use of gas separation membranes. In particular, the invention relates to a gas separation membrane comprising: a gas permeable or porous support layer; and at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer comprising carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes fixed within the at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer. The present invention also relates to the method of separating CO.sub.2 from a gas and to the use of the gas separation membrane.

The present invention relates to CO.sub.2 capture from gas mixtures by use of gas separation membranes. In particular, the invention relates to a gas separation membrane comprising: a gas permeable or porous support layer; and at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer comprising carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes fixed within the at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer. The present invention also relates to the method of separating CO.sub.2 from a gas and to the use of the gas separation membrane.

The invention relates to novel linear, semi-crystalline, functional fluoropolymers that have been obtained by copolymerizing a fluorinated vinylic monomer and a hydrophilic monomer chosen from vinyl alkyl acids, vinyl phosphonates, functional acrylamides, carbonates, vinyl ethers, alkoxy compounds, and double hydrophilic group monomers.

Electrospun poly(acrylic) acid (PAA)/poly(vinyl) alcohol PVA nanofibers and integrated filtration membranes generated therefrom are disclosed herein. The membranes are suitable for use in selectively removing heavy metals such as lead and cadmium from water. The surface of the nanofibers is preferably functionalized with one or more chelating agents. The membranes have a high removal efficiency and adsorption capacity with well-distributed high-density heavy metal adsorption sites with strong binding affinities for targeted heavy metals.

A polymer composition containing a polymer (B) obtained by polymerizing a monomer composition containing: a methacrylic acid ester macromonomer (b1) represented by the following formula (1); and another monomer (b2). Also, a porous membrane formed from a membrane forming polymer (A) and the aforementioned polymer composition. ##STR00001##

The present disclosure provides methods for forming asymmetric membranes. More specifically, methods are provided for applying a polymerizable species to a porous substrate for forming a coated porous substrate. The coated porous substrate is exposed to an ultraviolet radiation source having a peak emission wavelength less than 340 nm to polymerize the polymerizable species forming a polymerized material retained within the porous substrate so that the concentration of polymerized material is greater at the first major surface than at the second major surface.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming asymmetric membranes. More specifically, methods are provided for applying a polymerizable species to a porous substrate for forming a coated porous substrate. The coated porous substrate is exposed to an ultraviolet radiation source having a peak emission wavelength less than 340 nm to polymerize the polymerizable species forming a polymerized material retained within the porous substrate so that the concentration of polymerized material is greater at the first major surface than at the second major surface.