The present disclosure relates to semipermeable membranes which are suitable for blood purification, e.g. by hemodialysis, which have an increased ability to remove larger molecules while at the same time effectively retaining albumin. The membranes are characterized by a molecular retention onset (MWRO) of between 9.0 kD and 14.5 kD and a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of between 55 kD and 130 kD as determined by dextran sieving curves and can be prepared by industrially feasible processes excluding a treatment with salt before drying. The invention therefore also relates to a process for the production of the membranes and to their use in medical applications.

A porous membrane which has a sponge-like morphology. The porous membrane contains imidazole- and benzimidazole-based metal-organic framework fillers embedded in a polymer matrix. Methods of fabricating the porous membrane via steps including solvent casting and coagulating are described. Methods of separating gases using the porous membrane are also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a microporous hollow fiber filter membrane having a large inner diameter and a thin wall. The fiber can be used for sterile filtration of liquids or removal of particles from liquids. The disclosure further relates to a method for producing the membrane and a filter device comprising the membrane.

Provided is a method including the steps of producing a melt-kneaded product and discharging the melt-kneaded product. In the step of producing a melt-kneaded product, a thermoplastic resin, a non-solvent and an inorganic compound are mixed and melt-kneaded, wherein the non-solvent does not uniformly dissolve the thermoplastic resin of one-quarter mass at a boiling point or 250 C., whichever is lower.

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 disclosure relates to semipermeable membranes which are suitable for blood purification, e.g. by hemodialysis, which have an increased ability to remove larger molecules while at the same time effectively retaining albumin. The membranes are characterized by a molecular retention onset (MWRO) of between 9.0 kD and 14.5 kD and a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) of between 55 kD and 130 kD as determined by dextran sieving curves and can be prepared by industrially feasible processes excluding a treatment with salt before drying. The invention therefore also relates to a process for the production of the membranes and to their use in medical applications.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for composite materials, methods of making composite materials, methods of using composite materials, and the like. In particular, the present application relates to hollow fibers and to pressure-retarded osmosis systems comprising said fibers. The hollow fibers have an inside layer and an outside layer, wherein the outside layer covers an outside surface of the inside layer, wherein the inside layer forms a boundary around the lumen, wherein the inside layer includes a bi-layer structure, wherein the bi-layer structure includes a sponge-like layer and a finger-like layer, wherein the sponge-like layer is disposed closer to the lumen of the hollow fiber and the finger-like layer is disposed on the sponge-like layer on the side opposite the lumen, wherein the outside layer includes a polyamide layer.

Polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) membranes prepared from casting solution including the biopolymer kappa-carrageenan (kCg) as an additive demonstrate improved structure and properties. The resulting asymmetrical structure has a thin layer on the upper surface, a porous sublayer with reduced volume of macro void space and increased porosity, and a spongy layer beneath the sublayer. This results in an increased hydrophilic nature, and provides enhanced wetting, membrane porosity, and water permeabilityall important properties making these membranes suitable for a wide range of uses.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a separation film that consists primarily of a cellulose ester and has a high membrane strength and a high elongation degree; and a production method therefor. Provided is a separation film which has a structure comprising a cellulose ester phase and pores, wherein the average pore diameter R is 0.001-6 m, the value obtained from the expression: breaking strength (MPa)(100porosity (%))100 is 40 or greater, and the elongation degree is 10% or greater.

A thin-film-composite hollow-fiber membrane includes a phase-inversion layer, which is in the form of a hollow fiber, and an active layer coated on the phase-inversion layer. The active layer selectively allows passage of water molecules but rejects at least some dissolved ions. The thin-film-composite hollow-fiber membrane can have an internal burst pressure of at least 4 MPa. In a method for forming the membrane, the polymer concentration in the spinning dope from which the hollow-fiber substrate is formed can have a polymer concentration no greater than 5% below the critical concentration.