Disclosed are hydrophilic porous PTFE membranes comprising PTFE and an amphiphilic copolymer, for example, a copolymer of the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein m and n are as described herein. Also disclosed are a method of preparing hydrophilic porous PTFE membranes and a method of filtering fluids through such membranes.

Disclosed are hydrophilic porous PTFE membranes comprising PTFE and an amphiphilic copolymer, for example, a copolymer of the formula: ##STR00001##
wherein m and n are as described herein. Also disclosed are a method of preparing hydrophilic porous PTFE membranes and a method of filtering fluids through such membranes.

To provide a polyketone porous film having heat resistance and chemical resistance and useful as a filter for filtration having a high particle collection efficiency and as a battery or capacitor separator having a low permeation resistance to ion and the like. A polyketone porous film comprising from 10 to 100 mass % of a polyketone as a copolymer of carbon monoxide and one or more olefins, wherein the polyketone porous film has a pore formed only by a polyketone, the pore diameter uniformity parameter as a value obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the pore diameter in the pore by an average pore diameter is from 0 to 1.0, and the average through hole diameter of the polyketone porous film is from 0.01 to 50 m.

To provide a polyketone porous film having heat resistance and chemical resistance and useful as a filter for filtration having a high particle collection efficiency and as a battery or capacitor separator having a low permeation resistance to ion and the like. A polyketone porous film comprising from 10 to 100 mass % of a polyketone as a copolymer of carbon monoxide and one or more olefins, wherein the polyketone porous film has a pore formed only by a polyketone, the pore diameter uniformity parameter as a value obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the pore diameter in the pore by an average pore diameter is from 0 to 1.0, and the average through hole diameter of the polyketone porous film is from 0.01 to 50 m.

Disclosed are membranes formed from self-assembling diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing porous membranes. Embodiments of the membranes contain the diblock copolymer self-assembled into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such membrane which involves spray coating a polymer solution containing the diblock copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by annealing the thin film in a solvent vapor and/or soaking in a solvent or mixture of solvents to form a nanoporous membrane.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) immobilized membranes for harvesting pure water from air include CNTs incorporated into a layer of super-absorbing polymer. The super-absorbing polymer may be cast over a porous substrate. The super-absorbing polymer binds strongly to water and generates water clusters while the CNTs are operable to interrupt the specific water-polymer and water-water interactions to generate more free water which permeates more easily through the membrane. Methods of forming the CNT immobilized membranes are provided. The CNT immobilized membranes disclosed herein exhibit improved water vapor extraction efficiency, water vapor removal and mass transfer coefficient.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) immobilized membranes for harvesting pure water from air include CNTs incorporated into a layer of super-absorbing polymer. The super-absorbing polymer may be cast over a porous substrate. The super-absorbing polymer binds strongly to water and generates water clusters while the CNTs are operable to interrupt the specific water-polymer and water-water interactions to generate more free water which permeates more easily through the membrane. Methods of forming the CNT immobilized membranes are provided. The CNT immobilized membranes disclosed herein exhibit improved water vapor extraction efficiency, water vapor removal and mass transfer coefficient.

Disclosed are membranes formed from self-assembling block copolymers, for example, a diblock copolymer of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing nanoporous membranes. Embodiments of the membranes contain the block copolymer that self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such membrane which involves hybrid casting a polymer solution containing the block copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by evaporation of some of the solvent from the thin film, and coagulating the resulting this film in a bath containing a nonsolvent or poor solvent for the block copolymer.

Disclosed are self-assembled structures formed from self-assembling diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing nanoporous membranes. In embodiments of the self-assembled structure, the block copolymer self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such self-assembled structure which involves spin coating a polymer solution containing the diblock copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by solvent annealing of the film. Further disclosed is a method of preparing porous membranes from the self-assembled structures.

Disclosed are membranes formed from self-assembling block copolymers, for example, diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing nanoporous membranes. Embodiments of the membranes contain a block copolymer that self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such membrane which involves spin coating a polymer solution containing the block copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by annealing the thin film in a solvent vapor and/or soaking in a solvent or mixture of solvents to form a nanoporous membrane.