A hydrophobic biofilm membrane modified with a spiropolyurethane may be used for desalination of salt water to fresh water. The spiropolyurethane component of the membrane can produce a hydrophobic spin membrane boundary which attracts saline water, and where the hydrophobic spin membrane boundary can comprise a hinge-like motion for capture of salt molecules via a loose pore-gate spongy membrane surface texture while allowing desalinated water to flow through the porous membrane. The membrane is useful in both reverse osmosis (RO) and membrane distillation (MD) separations, including the desalination.

System, devices, and method for the production of thin film composite hollow fiber membranes on a hollow fiber support structure. The system includes a comb and roller device, or comb and dual roller device, which can be used to define a submerged travel path in a first solution bath for a hollow fiber. The combs and rollers control the amount of time the hollow fiber spends in the first solution. The first solution contains a first monomer, and the hollow fiber is impregnated with the first monomer. The amount of impregnation depends on the time spent in the first solution. Subsequent immersion in a second solution containing a second monomer results in the formation of a thin film composite hollow fiber membrane.

Provided is a water treatment membrane including: a porous support; and a polyamide active layer provided on the porous support, in which the polyamide active layer includes one or more units selected from among a unit of Chemical Formula 1: ##STR00001##
a unit of Chemical Formula 2; ##STR00002##
a unit of Chemical Formula 3; ##STR00003##
and a unit of Chemical Formula 4; ##STR00004##
and a manufacturing method thereof.

A separation membrane (10) of the present disclosure includes: a separation functional layer (30) composed of a polyamide; and a coating (40) covering the separation functional layer (30) and containing a polymer having a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1). In the formula (1), N.sup.+ is a nitrogen atom constituting a quaternary ammonium cation, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a substituent containing a carbon atom bonded to the nitrogen atom. ##STR00001##

Molecularly porous cross-linked membranes (MPCMs) are described. For example, MPCMs prepared by interfacial polymerization of a reactive macrocycle monomer with intrinsic microporous structure are provided. Macrocycles with multiple reacting sites for cross-linking provide a hyper-cross-linked network suitable for molecular separations employing polar or apolar solvents including organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN).

A method for making a titania-polymer nanocomposite by simultaneously forming TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles in situ from a TiO.sub.2 precursor in the presence of urea and interfacially polymerizing polyamide precursors thereby producing a titania-polymer nanocomposite. A titania-polymer nanocomposite made by this method. A method for removing a dye or metal from water comprising contacting contaminated water with the titania-polymer nanocomposite.

The present disclosure relates to carbon nanotube based desalination membranes and methods of manufacturing thereof. The carbon nanotube based desalination membranes may be manufactured by: providing a polymer matrix; providing carbon nanotubes directly contacting the polymer matrix; stirring the carbon nanotubes into the polymer matrix in order to make a carbon nanotube composite solution; and coating a substrate with the carbon nanotube composite solution to form a carbon nanotube desalination membrane. The carbon nanotube based desalination membranes may provide superior flow rate and high levels of salt rejection.

A method for making a titania-polymer nanocomposite by simultaneously forming TiO.sub.2 nanoparticles in situ from a TiO.sub.2 precursor in the presence of urea and interfacially polymerizing polyamide precursors thereby producing a titania-polymer nanocomposite. A titania-polymer nanocomposite made by this method. A method for removing a dye or metal from water comprising contacting contaminated water with the titania-polymer nanocomposite.

A thin-film composite polyamide reverse osmosis membrane with anti-bacterial and anti-biofouling effects and a preparation method thereof are disclosed. The preparation method includes: dissolving a highly water-stable metal organic framework CuBTTri in an n-hexane solution containing trimesoyl chloride by ultrasonic wave, immersing a polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membrane in an aqueous solution of m-phenylene diamine and taking out, and then immersing the ultrafiltration membrane in the trimesoyl chloride-n-hexane solution containing the aforementioned metal organic framework for reaction and modification, so as to obtain the thin-film composite polyamide reverse osmosis membrane. The resulting composite reverse osmosis membrane integrated with the anti-bacterial metal organic framework CuBTTri has a high reverse osmosis membrane permeability and possesses greatly improved and persistent anti-bacterial and anti-biofouling properties. The preparation method is simple and conducive to promotion, and has mild conditions.

Integrating an aquaporin Z protein addition to an outer surface of hollow fiber membranes and a production method of aquaporin Z integrated hollow fiber membranes using different hollow fiber support membranes are provided. The production method includes polymeric, nanocomposite materials. When an aquaporin protein integrated onto reinforced hollow fiber membranes, increase in a mechanical strength and a flux of the reinforced hollow fiber membranes was observed.