The present invention relates to a superhydrophilic biodegradable cross linked foam membrane and a process for preparation of said foam membrane from a seaweed polysaccharides by blending with amino biopolymers/amino acids/proteins/amino compounds followed by crosslinking with a naturally occurring cross linker, genipin. The foam membrane can be used as a substitute for synthetic membrane for varied applications including membrane separation for oil-water emulsions, oil-water mixtures and other aqueous-organic mixtures under ambient conditions. These foam membranes can be recycled and reused more than three times without considerable decrease in flux rate and stability. The separation methodology of the mixtures using the foam membrane of the present invention is gravity-driven and therefore, simple and energy-efficient.

The present invention relates to a superhydrophilic biodegradable cross linked foam membrane and a process for preparation of said foam membrane from a seaweed polysaccharides by blending with amino biopolymers/amino acids/proteins/amino compounds followed by crosslinking with a naturally occurring cross linker, genipin. The foam membrane can be used as a substitute for synthetic membrane for varied applications including membrane separation for oil-water emulsions, oil-water mixtures and other aqueous-organic mixtures under ambient conditions. These foam membranes can be recycled and reused more than three times without considerable decrease in flux rate and stability. The separation methodology of the mixtures using the foam membrane of the present invention is gravity-driven and therefore, simple and energy-efficient.

The present invention, in some aspects, provides compositions including a solution comprising a plurality of exfoliated silk microfibrils and/or exfoliated silk nanofibrils, wherein the micro- or nano-fibrils are characterized as having a substantially nematic structure, as well as methods for making and using the same.

The present invention, in some aspects, provides compositions including a solution comprising a plurality of exfoliated silk microfibrils and/or exfoliated silk nanofibrils, wherein the micro- or nano-fibrils are characterized as having a substantially nematic structure, as well as methods for making and using the same.

A composition of five parts by mass of chitosan and one part graphene oxide is suspended in water. The composition may be used to form filtration layers of any size or shape and may be reinforced by additional layers. The composition may be used to construct a large filtration apparatus of any size or shape and may be used to form highly resilient, antimicrobial structures and surfaces for a variety of applications.

A composition of five parts by mass of chitosan and one part graphene oxide is suspended in water. The composition may be used to form filtration layers of any size or shape and may be reinforced by additional layers. The composition may be used to construct a large filtration apparatus of any size or shape and may be used to form highly resilient, antimicrobial structures and surfaces for a variety of applications.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules.

The present invention provides a RO membrane or a FO membrane comprising a coating layer made of a phospholipid bilayer membrane and formed on a surface of a porous membrane body, having a high water permeate flow rate and salt rejection performance, the membrane being a permselective membrane comprising a porous membrane having a pore size of 5 nm to 50 nm and a coating layer made of a phospholipid bilayer and formed on a surface of the porous membrane, wherein (i) the phospholipid bilayer comprises phospholipid, amphotericin B, and ergosterol; (ii) a content of the amphotericin B is 3 to 20 mol % based on the phospholipid bilayer; (iii) a total content of the ergosterol and the amphotericin B in the phospholipid bilayer is 10 to 30 mol %.

The present invention provides a RO membrane or a FO membrane comprising a coating layer made of a phospholipid bilayer membrane and formed on a surface of a porous membrane body, having a high water permeate flow rate and salt rejection performance, the membrane being a permselective membrane comprising a porous membrane having a pore size of 5 nm to 50 nm and a coating layer made of a phospholipid bilayer and formed on a surface of the porous membrane, wherein (i) the phospholipid bilayer comprises phospholipid, amphotericin B, and ergosterol; (ii) a content of the amphotericin B is 3 to 20 mol % based on the phospholipid bilayer; (iii) a total content of the ergosterol and the amphotericin B in the phospholipid bilayer is 10 to 30 mol %.

A permselective membrane includes a support membrane having selective permeability and a lipid membrane containing a channel substance, the lipid membrane being formed on a surface of the support membrane, wherein the support membrane has a permeation flux of 20 L/(m.sup.2.Math.h) or more and a desalination capacity of 1% to 20% at a pressure of 0.1 MPa.