The invention relates to dense synthetic membranes made from polymerised phosphonium-based ionic liquids which were found to be particularly suitable for use in gas separation. The membranes are obtainable by copolymerization via UV-curing of a composition comprising a phosphonium-based ionic liquid monomer, a co-monomer, a cross-linker, a surfactant and a photo-initiator, the remainder of the polymerization mixture consisting of water.

The invention also relates to a process of manufacturing said membranes, resulting in solid, dense and mechanically stable membranes, and to the use of the membranes so produced in the separation of gas mixtures, particularly gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide.

There is provided a thin film composite (TFC) hollow fibre membrane comprising a porous hollow fibre support layer formed of a polymer and a selective layer, formed of a cross-linked polyamide, on an inner circumferential surface of the hollow fibre support layer, wherein the TFC hollow fibre membrane has a power density of 25-50 W/m.sup.2 at a pressure of 30 bar. There is also provided a method of forming the TFC hollow fibre membrane.

A free standing liquid membrane is disclosed that can selectively separate objects based on the kinetic energy value of the objects such that either an object having a first kinetic energy value can pass through the free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and/or an object having a second kinetic energy value is prevented from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane. Advantageously, the free standing liquid membrane can remain intact for seconds to hours with multiple objects passing through the membrane.

A filtration membrane coating comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a surfactant, and one or more charged compounds, each containing one or more sulfonate functionalities and one or more linkable functionalities selected from the group consisting of amine, monochlorotriazine, and dichlorotriazine. The hydrophilic polymer and surfactant form a thin primer layer which is also superhydrophilic. The primer layer improves flux, and enables improved adhesion of the one or more charged compounds, which form a charged dye layer on top of the primer layer when enhances rejection of charged divalent ions. The coating can be applied while the membrane is packaged in its final form, such as in a spiral wound or other configuration.

A free standing liquid membrane is disclosed that can selectively separate objects based on the kinetic energy value of the objects such that either an object having a first kinetic energy value can pass through the free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and/or an object having a second kinetic energy value is prevented from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane. Advantageously, the free standing liquid membrane can remain intact for seconds to hours with multiple objects passing through the membrane.

A free standing liquid membrane is disclosed that can selectively separate objects based on the kinetic energy value of the objects such that either an object having a first kinetic energy value can pass through the free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and/or an object having a second kinetic energy value is prevented from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane. Advantageously, the free standing liquid membrane can remain intact for seconds to hours with multiple objects passing through the membrane.

A filtration membrane coating comprising a hydrophilic polymer, a surfactant, and one or more charged compounds, each containing one or more sulfonate functionalities and one or more linkable functionalities selected from the group consisting of amine, monochlorotriazine, and dichlorotriazine. The hydrophilic polymer and surfactant form a thin primer layer which is also superhydrophilic. The primer layer improves flux, and enables improved adhesion of the one or more charged compounds, which form a charged dye layer on top of the primer layer when enhances rejection of charged divalent ions. The coating can be applied while the membrane is packaged in its final form, such as in a spiral wound or other configuration.

The present specification provides a composition for interfacial polymerization of polyamide including at least one of an amine compound and an acyl halide compound; a surfactant; and a compound represented by Chemical Formula 1, and a method for preparing a reverse osmosis membrane using the same.

A method of producing a hollow fiber membrane having an outside coating with a thin film composite (TFC) layer with a transmembrane protein, the method including the steps of: preparing an aqueous solution including a self-assembled nanostructure including polyalkyleneimine (PAI) and a detergent solubilized transmembrane protein and a di- or triamine, preparing an apolar solution including a di- or triacyl halide in an apolar organic solvent, contacting a hollow fiber membrane with the either the solution according to step a) or the solution according to step b), removing excess solution if any, contacting the hollow fiber membrane with the other solution, allowing an interfacial polymerization reaction to take place, and rinsing the hollow fiber membrane with an aqueous solvent. The hollow fiber is applicable e.g. for extracting water from the product solution.

An oil-water separation membrane is described. The oil-water separation membrane comprises a porous metal sheet with a photocatalyst layer on one side and a layer of nanoparticles and a surfactant on the other side. The layer of nanoparticles and surfactant create a superoleophobic and superhydrophilic coating that allows passage of an aqueous phase and rejection of an oil phase. The photocatalyst layer, combined with UV irradiation, enables degradation of organic contaminants in the aqueous phase. The oil-water separation membrane may be used as part of an oil-water separation system, and a filtered water product may be recycled through the membrane to increase the removal of organic contaminants.