Poly(aryl piperidinium) polymers are provided which have an alkaline-stable cation, piperidinium, introduced into a rigid aromatic polymer backbone free of ether bonds. Hydroxide exchange membranes or hydroxide exchange ionomers formed from these polymers exhibit superior chemical stability, hydroxide conductivity, decreased water uptake, good solubility in selected solvents, and improved mechanical properties in an ambient dry state as compared to conventional hydroxide exchange membranes or ionomers. Hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells comprising the poly(aryl piperidinium) polymers exhibit enhanced performance and durability at relatively high temperatures.

A copolymer including a repeating unit represented by (I) wherein: Y is selected from: a carboxylic acid, sulfonic, phosphorous acid and phosphoric acid and their corresponding salt or ester; imino, amide, nitrile, hydrogen, hydroxyl and alkyl comprising from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are independently selected from: hydrogen, alkyl groups comprising from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may collectively form a ketone group or a 9, 9-fluorene group, and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 may collectively form a ketone group or a 9, 9-fluorene group; R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are independently selected from: a bond and an alkylene group comprising from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R.sub.7 is selected from: hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl and heteroaryl groups comprising from 1 to 8 carbon atoms which may be unsubstituted or substituted with carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid and phosphoric acid and their corresponding salt or ester, imino and amide; and X and X are independently selected from: a carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid and phosphoric acid and their corresponding salt or ester, imino and amide; nitrile, hydrogen, alkyl having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms and alkoxy having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms. ##STR00001##

The invention, belonging to the field of membrane technology, presents a method for the high-throughput preparation of carbon nanotube hollow fiber membranes. This method contains three major steps. Firstly, the pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are added into a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and sulfuric acid, which is then heated at 40?80? C. for 0.5?6 hours. Secondly, the surface-functionalized CNTs and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) are dispersed and dissolved, respectively, in organic solvents at a mass ratio of 1:0.2?1:4?8 to form homogeneous spinning solution, which is squeezed into water as shell liquid with water as core liquid at a flow rate ratios of 0.5?5:1 through a spinneret to form CNT/PVB hollow fibers. Finally, the dry fibers are calcinated at 600?1000 ? C. for 1?4 hours in absence of oxygen to produce free-standing CNT hollow fiber membranes. The method involved in this invention is simple and highly efficient without needing any templates, expensive apparatuses and chemicals. Additionally, the obtained electrically conductive CNT hollow fiber membranes feature a high porosity, high water flux and strong acid/alkali resistance.

The invention, belonging to the field of membrane technology, presents a method for the high-throughput preparation of carbon nanotube hollow fiber membranes. This method contains three major steps. Firstly, the pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are added into a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and sulfuric acid, which is then heated at 40?80? C. for 0.5?6 hours. Secondly, the surface-functionalized CNTs and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) are dispersed and dissolved, respectively, in organic solvents at a mass ratio of 1:0.2?1:4?8 to form homogeneous spinning solution, which is squeezed into water as shell liquid with water as core liquid at a flow rate ratios of 0.5?5:1 through a spinneret to form CNT/PVB hollow fibers. Finally, the dry fibers are calcinated at 600?1000 ? C. for 1?4 hours in absence of oxygen to produce free-standing CNT hollow fiber membranes. The method involved in this invention is simple and highly efficient without needing any templates, expensive apparatuses and chemicals. Additionally, the obtained electrically conductive CNT hollow fiber membranes feature a high porosity, high water flux and strong acid/alkali resistance.

A nanoporous film formed from a series of vinyl addition block polymers derived from functionalized norbornene monomers are disclosed and claimed. The nanoporous films as disclosed herein are useful as pervaporation membranes and antireflective coatings among various other uses. Also disclosed herein are the fabrication of nanoporous films into pervaporation membranes which exhibit unique separation properties, and their use in the separation of organic volatiles from biomass and/or organic waste, including butanol, phenol, and the like. The fabrication of nanoporous films into antireflective coatings are also disclosed.

A nanoporous film formed from a series of vinyl addition block polymers derived from functionalized norbornene monomers are disclosed and claimed. The nanoporous films as disclosed herein are useful as pervaporation membranes and antireflective coatings among various other uses. Also disclosed herein are the fabrication of nanoporous films into pervaporation membranes which exhibit unique separation properties, and their use in the separation of organic volatiles from biomass and/or organic waste, including butanol, phenol, and the like. The fabrication of nanoporous films into antireflective coatings are also disclosed.

A composite membrane for selectively pervaporating a first liquid from a mixture comprising the first liquid and a second liquid. The composite membrane includes a porous substrate comprising opposite first and second major surfaces, and a plurality of pores. A pore-filling polymer is disposed in at least some of the pores so as to form a layer having a thickness within the porous substrate. The polymer is more permeable to the first liquid than the second liquid but not soluble in the first liquid or the second liquid. The composite membrane may be asymmetric or symmetric with respect to the amount of pore-filling polymer throughout the thickness of the porous substrate.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hollow-fiber membrane which does not require a coating treatment with a cell adhesion factor or surface modification by an electron beam or the like and which is capable of adhering and culturing cells, and a method for culturing cells using the hollow-fiber membrane. A hollow-fiber membrane for cell culture which is to be used as a culture substrate for adhesive cells, in which the hollow-fiber membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, the content of the hydrophilic polymer in the whole hollow-fiber membrane is more than 0% by mass and less than 1% by mass, and the content of the hydrophilic polymer on a surface of the hollow-fiber membrane is more than 0% by mass and less than 10% by mass.

The present invention relates to a composite material which is suitable both for mechanical filtration and for chemical/selective binding/rejection/exclusion of substances from solutions. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the composite material as a filtration membrane. The present invention is thus also directed to a filtration membrane comprising a composite material according to the invention, such as the use of the filtration membrane for the purification of liquids and/or for the separation of substances from liquids and/or for the removal of bacteria or viruses from liquids.

The present invention relates to a composite material which is suitable both for mechanical filtration and for chemical/selective binding/rejection/exclusion of substances from solutions. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of the composite material as a filtration membrane. The present invention is thus also directed to a filtration membrane comprising a composite material according to the invention, such as the use of the filtration membrane for the purification of liquids and/or for the separation of substances from liquids and/or for the removal of bacteria or viruses from liquids.