Hierarchical porous membranes suitable for use in oil/water separation processes are provided. The membranes described herein are particularly well suited for separating trace amounts of water (e.g., no greater than 3 wt % water content, no greater than 1 wt % water content, or 50-1000 ppm water) from oil in droplets less than 1 um in size. The membranes have a wide range of applications, including deep seep oil exploration, oil purification, and oil spill cleanup.

Hierarchical porous membranes suitable for use in oil/water separation processes are provided. The membranes described herein are particularly well suited for separating trace amounts of water (e.g., no greater than 3 wt % water content, no greater than 1 wt % water content, or 50-1000 ppm water) from oil in droplets less than 1 um in size. The membranes have a wide range of applications, including deep seep oil exploration, oil purification, and oil spill cleanup.

According to some aspects, a semi-permeable membrane is provided for performing separation processes as well as its method of manufacture. In some instances, a membrane may include a porous substrate, and an active layer disposed upon the substrate. The active layer may include at least one atomically thin layer having a plurality of open pores that allow transport of some species through the membrane while restricting transport of other species through the membrane. The open pores may have a mean pore size between 0.5 nm and 10 nm and a number density between 10.sup.9 cm.sup.?2 and 1014 cm.sup.?2.

A porous membrane for use in an electroosmotic pump for pumping a fluid by electroosmotic transport, the porous membrane comprising: first and second opposite surfaces and a net fluid flow direction extending in the porous membrane between said opposite surfaces, wherein when a given amount of charge flows through the porous membrane from the first to the second opposite surface more electroosmotic transport of the fluid will occur than when the same amount of charge flows through the porous membrane from the second to the first, opposite surface.

The present disclosure relates to a semipermeable membrane. The present disclosure aims to provide a semipermeable membrane having tolerance against a decrease over time in substance permeability. The present disclosure provides a semipermeable membrane containing a resin. The permeation rate of albumin in the semipermeable membrane is no lower than 30%. The albumin adsorption amount obtained when the semipermeable membrane measuring 1 cm on each side is immersed in a 0.1% albumin solution for 90 minutes is no greater than 10 ?g/cm.sup.2. The water permeation amount obtained when water is sucked through the semipermeable membrane at a negative pressure of 3?0.2 kPa is expressed by no smaller than 1,000 L/(m.sup.2.Math.hour). The semipermeable membrane can isolate a cell from an external environment.

Disclosed herein is a gas separation membrane comprising a furan-based polymer, an apparatus comprising the gas separation membrane, and a process for separating a mixture of gases using said gas separation membrane. The process comprises contacting one side of a gas separation membrane comprising a furan-based polymer with a mixture of gases having different gas permeances, whereby at least one gas from the mixture of gases permeates preferentially across the gas separation membrane, thereby separating the at least one gas from the mixture of gases.

Disclosed herein is a gas separation membrane comprising a furan based polymer, an apparatus comprising the gas separation membrane, and a process for separating a mixture of gases using said gas separation membrane. The process comprises contacting one side of a gas separation membrane comprising a furan-based polymer with a mixture of gases having different gas permeances, whereby at least one gas from the mixture of gases permeates preferentially across the gas separation membrane, thereby separating the at least one gas from the mixture of gases.

Hierarchical porous membranes suitable for use in oil/water separation processes are provided. The membranes described herein are particularly well suited for separating trace amounts of water (e.g., no greater than 3 wt % water content, no greater than 1 wt % water content, or 50-1000 ppm water) from oil in droplets less than 1 um in size. The membranes have a wide range of applications, including deep seep oil exploration, oil purification, and oil spill cleanup.

Hierarchical porous membranes suitable for use in oil/water separation processes are provided. The membranes described herein are particularly well suited for separating trace amounts of water (e.g., no greater than 3 wt % water content, no greater than 1 wt % water content, or 50-1000 ppm water) from oil in droplets less than 1 um in size. The membranes have a wide range of applications, including deep seep oil exploration, oil purification, and oil spill cleanup.

A membrane can contain at least one substrate layer, wherein the substrate layer includes a plurality of substrate pores, and each of the substrate pores contains a plurality of nanotubes or nanowires positioned within the substrate pore. Such membranes can be incorporated into enclosures for various substances. The enclosures can be exposed to an environment, such as a biological environment (in vivo or in vitro), where the membrane can delay or not provoke an immune response from the environment. One or more substances within the enclosure can be released into the environment, one or more selected substances from the environment can enter the enclosure, one or more selected substances from the environment can be prevented from entering the enclosure, one or more selected substances can be retained within the enclosure, or combinations thereof. The enclosure can, for example, allow a sense-response paradigm to be realized.