Natural gas may be purified by removing C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons and CO.sub.2 in respective one or more separation units to yield conditioned gas lower in C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons and CO.sub.2 in comparison to the un-conditioned natural gas. Notably, the feed gas need not be subjected to joule-thomson expansion and molecular sieve dehydration performed by conventional processes. Rather, any water-rich reject stream from the separation unit(s) is dried downstream with a smaller compressor and smaller molecular sieve or gas separation membrane dehydration unit before it may be re-injected deep underground or deep under the sea bed.

Natural gas may be purified by removing C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons and CO.sub.2 in respective one or more separation units to yield conditioned gas lower in C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons and CO.sub.2 in comparison to the un-conditioned natural gas. Notably, the feed gas need not be subjected to joule-thomson expansion and molecular sieve dehydration performed by conventional processes. Rather, any water-rich reject stream from the separation unit(s) is dried downstream with a smaller compressor and smaller molecular sieve or gas separation membrane dehydration unit before it may be re-injected deep underground or deep under the sea bed.

This disclosure relates to a hydrophilic graphitic material. The graphitic material may be a carbon nanotube film having superior chemical, mechanical and electrical properties compared to traditional membrane materials. The hydrophilic graphitic material includes a kosmotropic polymer or kosmotropic molecule coating that increases the hydrophilicity of a graphitic material. Methods for preparing the hydrophilic graphitic material are disclosed along with potential applications and uses.

This disclosure relates to a hydrophilic graphitic material. The graphitic material may be a carbon nanotube film having superior chemical, mechanical and electrical properties compared to traditional membrane materials. The hydrophilic graphitic material includes a kosmotropic polymer or kosmotropic molecule coating that increases the hydrophilicity of a graphitic material. Methods for preparing the hydrophilic graphitic material are disclosed along with potential applications and uses.

A method for synthesizing a nanocomposite membrane, and a synthesized nanocomposite membrane made thereby. The method may include steps of preparing Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-tolylene di-isocyanate (TDI) nanoparticles by reacting Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles and TDI powder, preparing Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles, sulfonating the Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles, preparing a first polymer solution, dispersing the Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2SO.sub.3H nanoparticles into the first polymer solution to obtain a second homogenous solution, and casting and drying the second homogenous solution to obtain the nanocomposite membrane.

A method for synthesizing a nanocomposite membrane, and a synthesized nanocomposite membrane made thereby. The method may include steps of preparing Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-tolylene di-isocyanate (TDI) nanoparticles by reacting Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 nanoparticles and TDI powder, preparing Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles, sulfonating the Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles, preparing a first polymer solution, dispersing the Fe.sub.3O.sub.4-TDI-TiO.sub.2SO.sub.3H nanoparticles into the first polymer solution to obtain a second homogenous solution, and casting and drying the second homogenous solution to obtain the nanocomposite membrane.

The invention relates to a process for preparing an ester by alkoxycarbonylation of a C2 to C20 hydrocarbon having at least one multiple bond, preferably having at least one olefinic double bond, in which the homogeneous catalyst system used is separated from the product mixture by means of membrane separation and recycled into the reaction zone. In a development of the present invention, the ester thus formed is converted into another ester by transesterification.

Process for reducing the fouling of a surface O, wherein an aqueous solution S of at least one polymer P comprising styrene and at least one ester E of (meth)acrylic acid and polyethylene oxide in a molar ratio of 0.05:1 to 50:1 is applied to said surface O.

A gas separation membrane for selective separation of hydrogen and helium from gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide includes a porous support layer, an aromatic polyamide layer on the porous support layer, and a coating including a glassy polymer formed on the aromatic polyamide layer. A glass transition temperature of the glassy polymer is greater than 50 C. The gas separation membrane may be formed by contacting a solution including the glassy polymer with an aromatic polyamide layer of a composite membrane and drying the solution to form a coating of the glassy polymer on the aromatic polyamide layer. Separating hydrogen or helium from a gas stream including carbon dioxide includes contacting a gas feed stream including carbon dioxide with the gas separation membrane to yield a permeate stream having a concentration of helium or hydrogen that exceeds the concentration of helium or hydrogen, respectively, in the gas feed stream.

The present application discloses a polymer material, membrane and coating as well as preparation methods and applications thereof. The polymer material is formed by the phase inversion of a polymer compound containing an ionizable hydrophilic group and the ionization of the hydrophilic group. The polymer material has a static contact angle of greater than 140 and an adhesive force of less than 10 N with respect to multiple oil phase systems in water. The polymer material provided by the present application has an underwater super-hydrophobic property and an anti-adhesion function not only to diesel, oil, edible oil and other low-viscosity light oil and numerous water-immiscible organic solvents, but also to petroleum, heavy oil, silicone oil, heavy diesel and other high-viscosity oil. A membrane, coating and the like formed from the polymer material is resistant to oil adhesion and contamination in water along with a self-cleaning effect, and thus has a broad application prospect in a variety of fields.