An oxygen separation membrane includes a porous material and a liquid complex contained in the porous material. The complex contains a metal salen complex or a derivative thereof and a first ionic liquid. The first ionic liquid is constituted by an anion having an amine structure and an imidazolium cation, an aliphatic quaternary phosphonium cation, or an ammonium cation that have alkyl chains, alkylene oxide chains, or alkyl ether chains with each 2 to 20 carbon atoms. The anion of the first ionic liquid is axially coordinated to a central metal ion of the metal salen complex or the derivative thereof.

Disclosed is a method of preparing a filtration membrane. The method includes providing a copolymer solution by dissolving a statistical copolymer in a mixture of a co-solvent and a first organic solvent, coating the copolymer solution onto a porous support layer to form a polymeric layer thereon, coagulating the polymeric layer on top of the support layer to form a thin film composite membrane, and immersing the thin film composite membrane into a water bath to obtain a filtration membrane. Also disclosed are a filtration membrane prepared by the method, and a process of filtering a liquid using the filtration membrane thus prepared.

Disclosed is a method of preparing a filtration membrane. The method includes providing a copolymer solution by dissolving a statistical copolymer in a mixture of a co-solvent and a first organic solvent, coating the copolymer solution onto a porous support layer to form a polymeric layer thereon, coagulating the polymeric layer on top of the support layer to form a thin film composite membrane, and immersing the thin film composite membrane into a water bath to obtain a filtration membrane. Also disclosed are a filtration membrane prepared by the method, and a process of filtering a liquid using the filtration membrane thus prepared.

Described herein are gas separation membranes that provide improved compatibility between the gutter layer and the porous support and/or the separation layer for gases. Such composite membranes have a high water/air selectivity in permeability.

A method of separating hydrocarbons in an aqueous mixture comprising exposing the aqueous mixture to a cellulose/ionic liquid membrane, wherein the aqueous mixture includes hydrocarbons, and removing the hydrocarbons from the aqueous mixture as the aqueous mixture flows through the cellulose/ionic liquid membrane, wherein the hydrocarbons do not flow through the cellulose/ionic liquid membrane. A filter system, comprising a cellulose/ionic liquid membrane used as the filter to separate hydrocarbons from an aqueous mixture.

The present invention is a structure, method of making and method of use for a novel macroscopic hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped, nano-porous carbon membrane (HNDCMs) with asymmetric and hierarchical pore architecture that can be produced on a large-scale approach. The unique HNDCM holds great promise as components in separation and advanced carbon devices because they could offer unconventional fluidic transport phenomena on the nanoscale. Overall, the invention set forth herein covers a hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes and methods of making and using such a membranes.

The present invention provides a method for preparing an aromatic polyamide porous membrane and an aromatic polyamide porous membrane prepared by the above method. The method for preparing an aromatic polyamide porous membrane includes the following steps: mixing an ionic liquid with an aromatic polyamide into a solvent to form a mixed solution; the mixed solution forming a membrane in a coagulation bath; and extracting with an extractant to remove the solvent and the ionic liquid from the membrane to yield a porous membrane. In the method of the present invention, the application of the ionic liquid would greatly reduce the application of additives; further, the ionic liquid has a high stability and is easy to be separated from other solvents and be recycled, which assures the safety during the usage and recycle thereof.

The present invention is a structure, method of making and method of use for a novel macroscopic hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped, nano-porous carbon membrane (HNDCMs) with asymmetric and hierarchical pore architecture that can be produced on a large-scale approach. The unique HNDCM holds great promise as components in separation and advanced carbon devices because they could offer unconventional fluidic transport phenomena on the nanoscale. Overall, the invention set forth herein covers a hierarchically structured, nitrogen-doped carbon membranes and methods of making and using such a membranes.

The present invention provides a separation functional layer that exhibits suppressed leakage of an ionic liquid and has an enhanced strength. A separation functional layer of the present invention includes: an ionic liquid; a polymer A that forms a crystal structure in the ionic liquid; and a polymer B different from the polymer A. A separation membrane of the present invention includes: the separation functional layer; and a porous support member supporting the separation functional layer.

The present invention provides a gas separation system suitable for separating a gas mixture efficiently. A gas separation system of the present invention includes: a first separation membrane that separates a gas mixture into a first permeated gas and a first non-permeated gas; and a second separation membrane that separates the first non-permeated gas into a second permeated gas and a second non-permeated gas. The gas mixture contains a gas A and a gas B different from the gas A. The first separation membrane allows the gas A to preferentially permeate therethrough. The second separation membrane allows the gas B to preferentially permeate therethrough. A membrane area of the first separation membrane is smaller than a membrane area of the second separation membrane. The gas separation system recovers each of the second permeated gas and the second non-permeated gas.