Provided are processes of removing particulate fouling from a filtration membrane or for preventing membrane fouling by particulate matter. A process capitalizes on reversal of a naturally occurring diisophoretic particle deposition to actively move particulate material away from a membrane. A process includes placing a microparticle including a salt in proximity to a membrane such that the microparticle creates a gradient generated spontaneous electric field or a gradient generated spontaneous chemiphoretic field in the solvent proximal to the membrane that actively draws charged particles away from the membrane thereby removing charged particulate matter away from the membrane or preventing its deposition.

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of thin film composite (TFC) membranes, preferably solvent resistant TFC membranes, by interracial polymerization (IFP), more in particular solvent resistant TFC membranes wherein a thin PA-layer is deposited on a porous support membrane. Said method comprises the replacement of the aqueous and/or the organic solvent in the IFP method by an ionic liquid (IL) as solvent for the monomers which form said TFC membranes, to alter the top layer morphology, thickness and crosslinking degree.

The present invention provides a method for the preparation of thin film composite (TFC) membranes, preferably solvent resistant TFC membranes, by interracial polymerization (IFP), more in particular solvent resistant TFC membranes wherein a thin PA-layer is deposited on a porous support membrane. Said method comprises the replacement of the aqueous and/or the organic solvent in the IFP method by an ionic liquid (IL) as solvent for the monomers which form said TFC membranes, to alter the top layer morphology, thickness and crosslinking degree.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composite reverse osmosis membrane having improved water permeability and antifouling performance, and a method for producing the same. The composite reverse osmosis membrane of the present invention includes: a porous support; and a skin layer formed on a surface of the porous support. The skin layer contains a polyamide resin. The polyamide resin is a modified polyamide resin modified with an alkylenediamine derivative.

An object of the present invention is to provide a composite reverse osmosis membrane having improved water permeability and antifouling performance, and a method for producing the same. The composite reverse osmosis membrane of the present invention includes: a porous support; and a skin layer formed on a surface of the porous support. The skin layer contains a polyamide resin. The polyamide resin is a modified polyamide resin modified with an alkylenediamine derivative.

A gas separation membrane, a method for making the gas separation membrane, and a method for using the gas separation membrane are provided. An exemplary gas separation membrane includes a polyether-block-polyamide (PEBA) matrix and a cross-linked network including functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanoparticles dispersed through the PEBA matrix.

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.

New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO.sub.2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO.sub.2 and further gases, esp. CH.sub.4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.

New carbon nanomaterials, preferably titanium carbide-derived carbon (CDC) nanoparticles, were embedded into a polyamide film to give CDC/polyamide mixed matrix membranes by the interfacial polymerization reaction of an aliphatic diamine, e.g., piperazine, and an activated aromatic dicarboxylate, e.g., isophthaloyl chloride, supported on a sulfone-containing polymer, e.g., polysulfone (PSF), layer, which is preferably previously prepared by dry/wet phase inversion. The inventive membranes can separate CO.sub.2 (or other gases) from mixtures of CO.sub.2 and further gases, esp. CH.sub.4, based upon the generally selective nanocomposite layer(s) of CDC/polyamide.