A membrane sorbent is described, which comprises 1-6 wt % silicon carbide nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix may comprise polysulfone and polyvinylpyrrolidone. The membrane sorbent is used for separating oil from a contaminated water mixture. The silicon carbide nanoparticles of the membrane sorbent may be made from rice husk ash.

A forward osmosis membrane for seawater desalination and a method for preparing the same. The forward osmosis membrane has a composite membrane structure including a nonwoven fabric layer; a hydrophilic polymer layer; and a polyamide layer. The hydrophilic polymer layer formed on the nonwoven fabric layer facilitates an inflow of water from the feed water to the draw solution to enhance flux and realize high water permeability in the direction of osmosis. The polyamide layer not only secures contamination resistance and chemical resistance but also minimizes the back diffusion of salts of the draw solution in the direction of reverse osmosis. Hence, the forward osmosis membrane of the present invention is greatly useful for desalination of high-concentration seawater.

A high-oxidation and NOx-free synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) from natural graphite using the modified Hummers' method is described. The amine-functionalized GO using dodecylamine (DDA) is used as a filler for membranes for the first time. Antifouling and antibacterial properties of UF membranes are achieved using amine functionalization of GO. A process of incorporating raw GO and dodecylamine-functionalized GO (GO-DDA) in polysulfone (PSF) via phase inversion technique is disclosed.

A high-oxidation and NOx-free synthesis of graphene oxide (GO) from natural graphite using the modified Hummers' method is described. The amine-functionalized GO using dodecylamine (DDA) is used as a filler for membranes for the first time. Antifouling and antibacterial properties of UF membranes are achieved using amine functionalization of GO. A process of incorporating raw GO and dodecylamine-functionalized GO (GO-DDA) in polysulfone (PSF) via phase inversion technique is disclosed.

Provided herein are gas permeable membranes comprising an amine-containing selective layer on top of a gas permeable polymer support as well as methods of making and using thereof. The membranes are useful for the separation of CO.sub.2 from N.sub.2-containing gases.

The present invention provides a room-temperature selective swelling method of pore-forming used for preparing separation membranes, comprising: treating a dense membrane of an amphiphilic block copolymer by a composite swelling agent at 15-30° C. for 1 min-24 h, removing the residual solvent, then leaving the membrane at room temperature to dry, so as to obtain an amphiphilic block copolymer separation membrane with a bi-continuous porous structure, wherein the composite swelling agent is composed of 60-96% of a first swelling agent and 4-40% of a second swelling agent, the first swelling agent is an alcohol solvent, the second swelling agent is selected from any one or a mixture of two or more of toluene, styrene, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane and so on. In the method of the invention, selective swelling can be achieved at room temperature, abating the energy consumption in membrane-forming process. The method has universality and can be widely used in the pore-forming process of various amphiphilic block copolymers. The swelling level and morphology can be controlled by adjusting the composition of the solvent in the swelling agent and the second swelling agent content in the swelling agent.

Provided is a composite semipermeable membrane having a high salt removal rate and a high water permeability. The composite semipermeable membrane comprises a substrate, a porous support layer formed on the substrate, and a separation functional layer formed on the porous support layer, the hydrophilic macromolecule concentration on the substrate-side surface of the porous support layer being higher than that on the separation functional layer-side surface.

Provided is a composite semipermeable membrane having a high salt removal rate and a high water permeability. The composite semipermeable membrane comprises a substrate, a porous support layer formed on the substrate, and a separation functional layer formed on the porous support layer, the hydrophilic macromolecule concentration on the substrate-side surface of the porous support layer being higher than that on the separation functional layer-side surface.

Copolymer C comprising polyarylene ether blocks A and polyalkylene oxide blocks PAO, wherein said polyarylene ether blocks A are blocks of at least one partially sulfonated polyarylene ether.

Provided are a curable composition including a compound expressed by General Formula (1) below; a polymerization initiator; and a chain transfer agent, and a cured polymer product. ##STR00001##
In General Formula (1), m represents an integer of 1 to 4, and n represents an integer of 1 to 4. Here, a sum of m and n is not greater than 5. M.sup.A represents a hydrogen ion, an inorganic ion, or an organic ion. Here, an inorganic ion and an organic ion may be bivalent or higher ions. Each of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group.