Photocurable (meth)acrylate compositions for forming features on the surfaces of membranes, and particularly, on membranes used in osmosis and reverse-osmosis applications, such as membrane filters.

Photocurable (meth)acrylate compositions for forming features on the surfaces of membranes, and particularly, on membranes used in osmosis and reverse-osmosis applications, such as membrane filters.

A composite material contains a nonwoven layer (i) which contains fibers formed from a first thermoplastic elastomer having meshes with a mesh size in the range from 10 to 100 μm, and a membrane layer (ii) which contains a second thermoplastic elastomer and having a layer thickness of less than 30 μm. The membrane is either pore-free (ii.1) or is porous and has pores with an average pore diameter of less than 2000 nm (ii.2). The membrane (ii) is at least partially in direct contact with the fibers of the nonwoven layer (i) and covers the mesh openings in the nonwoven layer (i) at least partially. The fibers of the first nonwoven layer (i) and the membrane (ii) in the contact area are at least partly joined to one another in an interlocking manner.

This forward-osmosis composite hollow fiber membrane module has hollow fiber bundles, wherein: the hollow fibers are each such that a separation active layer of a high-molecular polymer thin film is provided on the inner surface of a macroporous hollow fiber support film formed from a high-molecular polymer including polyketone; the film surface area of the hollow fiber bundles is 100 cm.sup.2 or greater; and the coefficient of variation of the average thickness of the separation active layer in the radial and thickness directions of the hollow fiber bundle is 0-60%, said coefficient being calculated through a method for measuring the mass of the separation active layer portion in a scanning electron microscope image in which a thickness-direction cross section of the separation active layer is imaged.

This forward-osmosis composite hollow fiber membrane module has hollow fiber bundles, wherein: the hollow fibers are each such that a separation active layer of a high-molecular polymer thin film is provided on the inner surface of a macroporous hollow fiber support film formed from a high-molecular polymer including polyketone; the film surface area of the hollow fiber bundles is 100 cm.sup.2 or greater; and the coefficient of variation of the average thickness of the separation active layer in the radial and thickness directions of the hollow fiber bundle is 0-60%, said coefficient being calculated through a method for measuring the mass of the separation active layer portion in a scanning electron microscope image in which a thickness-direction cross section of the separation active layer is imaged.

A gas separation membrane includes a composite membrane, the composite membrane including: a gas separation functional layer; and a compound having a composition different from a compound constituting the gas separation functional layer, wherein the presence ratio of the gas separation functional layer at at least one surface of the gas separation membrane is not less than 90% and less than 100%. Provided is a gas separation membrane capable of suppressing damage of the gas separation functional layer during the preparation process of a gas separation membrane module or during the use of a gas separation membrane module even when the gas separation functional layer includes a site having low strength.

A gas separation membrane includes a composite membrane, the composite membrane including: a gas separation functional layer; and a compound having a composition different from a compound constituting the gas separation functional layer, wherein the presence ratio of the gas separation functional layer at at least one surface of the gas separation membrane is not less than 90% and less than 100%. Provided is a gas separation membrane capable of suppressing damage of the gas separation functional layer during the preparation process of a gas separation membrane module or during the use of a gas separation membrane module even when the gas separation functional layer includes a site having low strength.

A battery and a method of fabricating a porous membrane are disclosed. The battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a battery separator. The battery separator is positioned between the anode and the cathode and includes a macroporous substrate and a mesoporous silica thin film (MSTF) with perpendicular mesopore channels. The MSTF is positioned on the macroporous substrate. The method includes the following steps. A polymer film is formed on a macroporous substrate. A MSTF with perpendicular mesopore channels is grown on the polymer film. The polymer film is removed to form the porous membrane.

A battery and a method of fabricating a porous membrane are disclosed. The battery includes an anode, a cathode, and a battery separator. The battery separator is positioned between the anode and the cathode and includes a macroporous substrate and a mesoporous silica thin film (MSTF) with perpendicular mesopore channels. The MSTF is positioned on the macroporous substrate. The method includes the following steps. A polymer film is formed on a macroporous substrate. A MSTF with perpendicular mesopore channels is grown on the polymer film. The polymer film is removed to form the porous membrane.

A hydrophobic biofilm membrane modified with a spiropolyurethane may be used for desalination of salt water to fresh water. The spiropolyurethane component of the membrane can produce a hydrophobic spin membrane boundary which attracts saline water, and where the hydrophobic spin membrane boundary can comprise a hinge-like motion for capture of salt molecules via a loose pore-gate spongy membrane surface texture while allowing desalinated water to flow through the porous membrane. The membrane is useful in both reverse osmosis (RO) and membrane distillation (MD) separations, including the desalination.