Composite membranes having a film of poly(ethenol) (polyvinyl alcohol; PVA) adhered to a microporous sheet of polyolefin are disclosed. The microporous sheet is made hydrophilic by grafting of the polyolefin, e.g. poly(ethylene), with a preformed polymer before adherence of the film of PVA. The composite membranes are chlorine tolerant with high levels of protein rejection making them particularly suitable for use in the extraction or recovery of water from feed streams in the beverage and food industries, including dairy.

Described herein is a filtration media comprising: (i) a first filtration medium comprising an anion exchange nonwoven substrate, wherein the anion exchange nonwoven substrate comprises a plurality of quaternary ammonium groups; and (ii) a second filtration medium comprising a functionalized microporous membrane wherein the functionalized microporous membrane comprises a plurality of guanidyl groups; wherein the first filtration medium is positioned upstream of the second filtration medium.

A separation membrane for blood processing, wherein the separation membrane for blood processing includes: a separation membrane containing polysulfone-based polymer and polyvinylpyrrolidone; and a coating film provided on at least a part of the surface of the separation membrane and containing a polymer material having a structure represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sup.2 is a methyl group or an ethyl group; n is 2 to 6 and m is 1 to 3; P denotes the number of repetition; and a plurality of each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, n, and m present in one molecule may be the same or different.

A polysulfone membrane is modified so that monomers are grafted onto the surface of the membrane. The polysulfone membranes can be grafted by contacting the membrane with a grafting solution and exposing the membrane to electromagnetic radiation, typically within the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum. The monomers that are grafted are typically anionic or cationic. The grafted membranes can be used for filtering impurities, such as positively and negatively charged particles, from a liquid. Anionic membranes provide improved filtration of negatively charged impurities, while cationic membranes provide improved filtration of positively charged impurities.

Hydrophilic fluoroplastic substrates and methods of making hydrophilic fluoroplastic substrates from 4-acryloylmorpholine are disclosed.

Described are hydrophilic polymers (including in the form of a filter membranes that includes hydrophilic polymer) having pendant ionic groups; to methods of making the hydrophilic polymer with pendant ionic groups and derivative membranes and filters; and to method of using the filter membranes for filtering a fluid such as a liquid chemical to remove unwanted material from the fluid.

A polymeric membrane. The polymeric membrane includes a modified surface obtained from coating with hydrophilic monomers and curing the hydrophilic monomers with electron beam, wherein the polymeric membrane is selected from polyamide membranes and Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) membranes; and wherein the hydrophilic monomers comprise at least one amino moiety; at least one polyoxyalkylene unit; and at least one (meth)acrylate moiety.

Hydrophilic fluoroplastic substrates and methods of making hydrophilic fluoroplastic substrates from 4-acryloylmorpholine are disclosed.

The present invention relates to CO.sub.2 capture from gas mixtures by use of gas separation membranes. In particular, the invention relates to a gas separation membrane comprising: a gas permeable or porous support layer; and at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer comprising carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzymes fixed within the at least one CO.sub.2 selective polymer layer. The present invention also relates to the method of separating CO.sub.2 from a gas and to the use of the gas separation membrane.

Guanidinyl ligand-functionalized polymers, methods of making the same, and substrates bearing a grafted coating of the ligand-functional polymers are described. The grafted polymer has the requisite affinity for binding neutral or negatively charged biomaterials, such as cells, cell debris, bacteria, spores, viruses, nucleic acids, endotoxins and proteins, at pH's near or below the pI's of the biomaterials.