A method for coating hollow fiber membranes is disclosed. The method includes preparing a continuous circulating circuit, which includes a membrane contactor module, two liquid reservoirs containing a solvent, two pipeline paths, and at least one injector. The membrane module include a plurality of hollow fiber membranes with an inside area and an outside area, and a housing, where the plurality of hollow fiber membranes are extended inside the housing. The method further include forming a plurality of wetted hollow fiber membranes with the solvent by circulating the solvent through the continuous circulating circuit, filling at least one of the two liquid reservoirs with a coating solution, forming a coating layer on a surface of at least one of the inside area or the outside area of the plurality of wetted hollow fiber membranes by circulating the coating solution through the continuous circulating circuit, and forming a uniform coating layer by injecting the coating solution by the injector for intrusion of the coating solution through the coating layer.

The invention provides a filtration membrane which comprises a porous support and, covalently bonded to a surface thereof, a layer comprising a plurality of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer; characterised in that within said layer, vesicles are covalently linked together to form a coherent mass. The membrane may be prepared by a process which comprises providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, said vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of a porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between different vesicles and between vesicles and said surface.

A composite membrane for selectively separating (e.g., pervaporating) a first fluid (e.g., first liquid) from a mixture comprising the first fluid (e.g., first liquid) and a second fluid (e.g., second liquid). The composite membrane includes a porous substrate comprising opposite first and second major surfaces, and a plurality of pores. A pore-filling polymer is disposed in at least some of the pores so as to form a layer having a thickness within the porous substrate. The composite membrane further includes at least one of: (a) an ionic liquid mixed with the pore-filling polymer; or (b) an amorphous fluorochemical film disposed on the composite membrane.

A method of separating gas and a method of making a gas separation membrane. The method of separating gas includes flowing a gas stream through a membrane, in which the membrane comprises a crosslinked mixture of a poly(ether-b-amide) copolymer and an acrylate-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) according to formula (I) or formula (II); and separating the gas stream via the membrane. ##STR00001##
In formulas (I) and (II), each n is of from 2 to 30; and each R is independently H or CH.sub.3.

A process for preparing a membrane comprising applying a composition comprising a polyimide to a gas-permeable support and irradiating the composition with UV-C light source to form a discriminating layer on the support, wherein: (i) the UV-C light source emits light having a wavelength in the range 200 to 280 nm; (ii) the irradiation is performed for a period of time in the range 0.05 to 60 seconds; and (iii) the irradiation is performed at a power intensity of at least 20 mW/cm.sup.2 and no more than 250 mW/cm.sup.2

An electrochemical compressor utilizes an anion conducting layer disposed between an anode and a cathode for transporting a working fluid. The working fluid may include carbon dioxide that is dissolved in water and is partially converted to carbonic acid that is equilibrium with bicarbonate anion. An electrical potential across the anode and cathode creates a pH gradient that drives the bicarbonate anion across the anion conducting layer to the cathode, wherein it is reformed into carbon dioxide. Therefore, carbon dioxide is pumped across the anion conducting layer. The compressor may be part of a refrigeration system that pumps the working fluid in a closed loop through a condenser and an evaporator.

Disclosed herein is a polymer membrane, film or coating comprising cylindrical polymer fibers at least partially ordered as hexagonal packed cylinders within the film, aligned parallel to the film surface, and present as an H.sub.1 mesophase; wherein the cylinders are crosslinked internally within the cylinders; and wherein the cylinders are spatially arranged to provide channels between the cylinders for fluid flow through the membrane, film or coating.

Described are filtration membranes that include a porous fluoropolymer membrane and thermally stable ionic groups; filters and filter components that include these filtration membranes; methods of making the filtration membranes, filters, and filter components; and method of using a filtration membrane, filter component, or filter to remove unwanted material from fluid.

Provided is a method for preparing a defect-free DDR molecular sieve membrane. Sigma-1 molecular sieve is used as an inducing seed crystal to prepare and obtain a continuous and compact DDR molecular sieve membrane on the surface of a porous ceramic support. An ozone atmosphere or an external field assisted technology is used to remove a template in the pores of the molecular sieve membrane at a low temperature. The invention avoids the formation of intercrystal defects and cracks, an activated DDR molecular sieve membrane has a good selectivity for separating CO2, and the membrane preparation time is significantly reduced.

The present disclosure describes membrane compositions and methods for preparing membrane compositions. In particular, the methods employ a layer-by-layer approach to membrane preparation. The membrane compositions provide significantly enhanced membrane performance over existing commercial membranes, particularly in terms of permeability and selectivity.