The present invention provides a porous membrane for water treatment, comprising: a high molecular weight polyethylene, a water-soluble polymer and an antioxidant, the high molecular weight polyethylene having an average molecular weight of 1.0×10.sup.5 to 10.0×10.sup.6 and a density of 0.940 to 0.976 g/cm.sup.3; wherein, the weight of the water-soluble polymer is 5 to 50 parts, the weight of the antioxidant is 0.1 to 10 parts, based on 100 parts of the weight of the high molecular weight polyethylene. The porous membrane for water treatment prepared by the present invention has a thickness of 5 to 30 μm, a pore size of 10 to 100 nm, a porosity of 20 to 60%, and a surface contact angle of 30° to 95°. The porous membrane according to the present invention has good durability, simple preparation process, and relatively thin thickness, a uniform pore size distribution and small pore size, good hydrophilicity, as well as good filtration and adsorption effect.

A crosslinked protein-based separation membrane and application thereof. The separation membrane is formed by attaching a crosslinked protein nanomembrane to a porous membrane, the crosslinked protein nanomembrane is formed by crosslinking a two-dimensional nanomembrane which is formed by phase transition of a protein with a crosslinking agent, the separation membrane contains a dense surface layer and a support layer, the dense surface layer is the crosslinked protein nanomembrane, and the support layer is the porous membrane; the protein is any one of lysozyme, bovine serum albumin, insulin, and α-lactalbumin; the crosslinked protein-based separation membrane has a good biocompatibility, may serve as a dialysis membrane for blood purification, and has a higher retention ratio for large molecular proteins.

A crosslinked protein-based separation membrane and application thereof. The separation membrane is formed by attaching a crosslinked protein nanomembrane to a porous membrane, the crosslinked protein nanomembrane is formed by crosslinking a two-dimensional nanomembrane which is formed by phase transition of a protein with a crosslinking agent, the separation membrane contains a dense surface layer and a support layer, the dense surface layer is the crosslinked protein nanomembrane, and the support layer is the porous membrane; the protein is any one of lysozyme, bovine serum albumin, insulin, and α-lactalbumin; the crosslinked protein-based separation membrane has a good biocompatibility, may serve as a dialysis membrane for blood purification, and has a higher retention ratio for large molecular proteins.

A lithium extraction composite comprising: (i) a porous support and (ii) particles of a lithium-selective sorbent material coated on at least one surface of the support, wherein the support has a planar membrane, fiber (or rod), or tubular shape. A method for extracting and recovering a lithium salt from an aqueous solution by use of the above-described composition is also described, the method comprising (a) flowing the aqueous source solution through a first zone or over a first surface of the lithium extraction composite to result in selective lithium intercalation in the lithium-selective sorbent material in the first zone or first surface; and (b) simultaneously recovering lithium salt extracted in step (a) from said lithium-selective sorbent material by flowing an aqueous stripping solution through a second zone or over a second surface of the lithium extraction composite in which lithium ions from the first zone or first surface diffuse.

A hollow fiber membrane and methods of making the hollow fiber membrane are described. The membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer such as polysulfone, a hydrophilic polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and a fluropolymer additive, and optionally a stabilizer, for instance, to stabilize the fluoropolymer additive in the membrane, particularly during conditioning or E-beam sterilization or both. Further conditioning improvements to membrane manufacturing are disclosed. The membrane may be incorporated into a dialysis filter for use in hemodialysis and related applications. The membrane has improved hemocompatibility, charge stability, or middle molecule clearance compared to conventional membranes. Also disclosed is a method of evaluating membrane charge stability.

A hollow fiber membrane and methods of making the hollow fiber membrane are described. The membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer such as polysulfone, a hydrophilic polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and a fluropolymer additive, and optionally a stabilizer, for instance, to stabilize the fluoropolymer additive in the membrane, particularly during conditioning or E-beam sterilization or both. Further conditioning improvements to membrane manufacturing are disclosed. The membrane may be incorporated into a dialysis filter for use in hemodialysis and related applications. The membrane has improved hemocompatibility, charge stability, or middle molecule clearance compared to conventional membranes. Also disclosed is a method of evaluating membrane charge stability.

Thin parylene C membranes having smooth front sides and ultrathin regions (e.g., 0.01 μm to 5 μm thick) interspersed with thicker regions are disclosed. The back sides of the membranes can be rough compared with the smooth front sides. The membranes can be used in vitro to grow monolayers of cells in a laboratory or in vivo as surgically implantable growth layers, such as to replace the Bruch's membrane in the eye. The thin regions of parylene are semipermeable to allow for proteins in serum to pass through, and the thick regions give mechanical support for handling by a surgeon. The smooth front side allows for monolayer cell growth, and the rough back side helps prevents cells from attaching there.

Thin parylene C membranes having smooth front sides and ultrathin regions (e.g., 0.01 μm to 5 μm thick) interspersed with thicker regions are disclosed. The back sides of the membranes can be rough compared with the smooth front sides. The membranes can be used in vitro to grow monolayers of cells in a laboratory or in vivo as surgically implantable growth layers, such as to replace the Bruch's membrane in the eye. The thin regions of parylene are semipermeable to allow for proteins in serum to pass through, and the thick regions give mechanical support for handling by a surgeon. The smooth front side allows for monolayer cell growth, and the rough back side helps prevents cells from attaching there.

The invention provides: imidazole and imidazolium compounds of formulas (I) and (II):

##STR00001##

polymers containing a plurality of imidazolium-containing repeating units of formula (III′):

##STR00002##

and membranes and devices comprising the polymers. Also provided are methods of making the inventive compounds and polymers.

The invention provides: imidazole and imidazolium compounds of formulas (I) and (II):

##STR00001##

polymers containing a plurality of imidazolium-containing repeating units of formula (III′):

##STR00002##

and membranes and devices comprising the polymers. Also provided are methods of making the inventive compounds and polymers.