A method of creating a hydrophobic polymer membrane surface includes depositing a polymer material onto a heated carrier, using the heated carrier, transporting the polymer material past an electrode field generator, generating an electric field adjacent the carrier, using the electric field to form a pattern in the polymer material to form a patterned polymer membrane, rinsing the patterned polymer membrane in a first bath, and setting the pattern into the patterned polymer membrane in a second bath.

A roll-to-roll system for forming a hydrophobic polymer membrane surface includes a heated carrier belt, a repository of polymer material arranged to deposit the polymer material onto the carrier to create a heated polymer, an electrode belt positioned opposite the carrier belt, an electric field generator positioned to generate an electric field between the carrier belt and the electrode belt and to infuse a pattern into the heated polymer to form a patterned polymer film, and a solvent bath to rinse the patterned polymer film. A method of creating a hydrophobic polymer membrane surface includes depositing a polymer material onto a heated carrier, using the carrier, transporting the polymer material past an electrode that acts as an electric field generator, generating an electric field adjacent the carrier, using the electric field to infuse a pattern into the polymer membrane surface, and setting the pattern into the polymer membrane surface.

Multi-block isoporous structures for non-aqueous and/or harsh chemical media having at least one of high separation specificity, chemical resistance, and antifouling properties, methods of manufacturing and use, for replacements or alternatives to existing separation membrane technologies.

The object of the present invention is polyphenylene oxide based film with crystalline nanoporous phases with surface area equal to or greater than 30 m2/g, preferably greater than 100 m2/g, and a procedure for the attainment thereof.

The present invention discloses high selectivity copolyimide membranes for gas, vapor, and liquid separations. Gas permeation tests on these copolyimide membranes demonstrated that they not only showed high selectivity for CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4 separation, but also showed extremely high selectivities for H.sub.2/CH.sub.4 and He/CH.sub.4 separations. These copolyimide membranes can be used for a wide range of gas, vapor, and liquid separations such as separations of CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4, He/CH.sub.4, CO.sub.2/N.sub.2, olefin/paraffin separations (e.g. propylene/propane separation), H.sub.2/CH.sub.4, He/CH.sub.4, O.sub.2/N.sub.2, iso/normal paraffins, polar molecules such as H.sub.2O, H.sub.2S, and NH.sub.3 mixtures with CH.sub.4, N.sub.2, H.sub.2. The high selectivity copolyimide membranes have UV cross-linkable sulfonyl functional groups and can be used for the preparation of UV cross-linked high selectivity copolyimide membranes with enhanced selectivities. The invention also includes blend polymer membranes comprising the high selectivity copolyimide and polyethersulfone. The blend polymer membranes comprising the high selectivity copolyimide and polyethersulfone can be further UV cross-linked under UV radiation.

The invention discloses dual layer-coated membranes and methods for making and using these membranes. The dual layer-coated membranes have a relatively porous and substantial void-containing selective asymmetric membrane support, a first coating layer comprising a hydrogel, and a second coating layer comprising a hydrophobic fluoropolymer. The membrane support has low selectivity and high permeance. The dual layer coating improves the selectivity of the membrane support and maintains the membrane performance with time. The dual layer-coated membranes are suitable for a variety of liquid, gas, and vapor separations such as water purification, non-aqueous liquid separation such as deep desulfurization of gasoline and diesel fuels, ethanol/water separations, pervaporation dehydration of aqueous/organic mixtures, fuel gas conditioning, CO.sub.2/CH.sub.4, He/CH.sub.4, CO.sub.2/N.sub.2, H.sub.2/CH.sub.4, O.sub.2/N.sub.2, olefin/paraffin, iso/normal paraffins separations, and other light gas mixture separations. The dual layer-coated membranes are especially useful for natural gas liquid (NGL) recovery and CO.sub.2 removal from natural gas.

The present invention is related to a polymer membrane for the selective extraction of cobalt (II) ions as well as a method for extracting cobalt (II) ions using said polymer membrane.

Disclosed is an ion-exchange membrane that includes a molecular barrier for influencing permeation selectivity through the membrane. The membrane includes fluorinated carbon backbone chains and fluorinated side chains that extend off of the fluorinated carbon backbone chains. The fluorinated side chains include acid groups for ionic conductivity. The acid groups surround and define permeable domains that are free of the fluorinated carbon backbone chains. Molecular barriers are located in the permeable domains and influence permeability through the domains.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described. The membranes can comprise a support layer, and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. The selective polymer layer can comprise an oxidatively stable carrier dispersed within a hydrophilic polymer matrix. The oxidatively stable carrier can be chosen from a quaternary ammonium hydroxide carrier (e.g., a mobile carrier such as a small molecule quaternary ammonium hydroxide, or a fixed carrier such as a quaternary ammonium hydroxide-containing polymer), a quaternary ammonium fluoride carrier (e.g., a mobile carrier such as a small molecule quaternary ammonium fluoride, or a fixed carrier such as a quaternary ammonium fluoride-containing polymer), and combinations thereof. The membranes can exhibit selective permeability to gases. The membranes can selectively remove carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from hydrogen and/or nitrogen. Further, the membranes can exhibit oxidative stability at temperatures above 100 C.

Described herein is a graphene and polyvinyl alcohol based multilayer composite membrane that provides selective resistance for solutes to pass through the membrane while providing water permeability. A selectively permeable membrane comprising a crosslinked graphene with a polyvinyl alcohol and an additive that can provide enhanced salt separation from water, methods for making such membranes, and methods of using the membranes for dehydrating or removing solutes from water are also described.