Methods of fabricating a porous membrane are disclosed. The first method includes the following operations. A mesoporous silica thin film with perpendicular mesopore channels is grown on a polymer film. The mesoporous silica thin film and the polymer film are transferred onto a macroporous substrate, in which the polymer film is positioned between the macroporous substrate and the mesoporous silica thin film. The polymer film is removed to form the porous membrane. The second method includes the following operations. A polymer film is formed on a macroporous substrate, wherein the polymer film includes crosslinked polymers including cross-linked polystyrene, cross-linked polymethyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. A mesoporous silica thin film with perpendicular mesopore channels is grown on the polymer film. The polymer film is removed to form the porous membrane.

There is provided an inorganic hierarchical porous membrane comprising at least two layers, wherein each layer of the at least two layers comprises a different average pore size as compared to another layer of the at least two layers, and wherein the membrane comprises a patterned surface. There is also provided a method of forming the membrane.

Methods and systems for the separation of hydrogen isotopes from one another are described. Methods include utilization of a hydrogen isotope selective separation membrane that includes a hydrogen isotope selective layer (e.g., graphene) and a hydrogen ion conductive supporting layer. An electronic driving force encourages passage of isotopes selectively across the membrane at an elevated separation temperature to enrich the product in a selected hydrogen isotope.

Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules. Also a stabilized surfactant mesostructure coating for a porous material and filters made therefrom. The coating can simultaneously improve both the permeability and the filtration characteristics of the porous material.

The Invention relates to a method for preparing a multichannel hollow fiber membrane. According to a certain ratio, ceramic powder, a macromolecular polymer, an organic solvent, and a dispersant are mixed evenly to prepare a membrane casting solution; and after bubble removing processing is performed on the membrane casting solution, a membrane green body is formed with the cooperation of a multichannel hollow fiber die and phase inversion. After the membrane green body is roasted at a high temperature, a multichannel ceramic hollow fiber membrane is formed. The multichannel ceramic hollow fiber membrane has an asymmetric structure and a skeleton structure in an inner cavity and can meet the strength and flux requirements of a ceramic hollow fiber membrane.

Disclosed herein are filtration articles comprising a porous ceramic structure comprising a plurality of channels separated by a plurality of porous interior walls, and a nanomembrane disposed on at least a portion of a surface of the porous ceramic structure, wherein the nanomembrane comprises nanoparticles of at least one inorganic oxide, and wherein the nanoparticles are present in a concentration ranging from about 0.001 g/L to about 1 g/L based on the total volume of the porous ceramic structure. Methods for making such filtration articles and methods for filtering a particulate from a fluid using such filtration articles are also disclosed herein.

The present invention pertains to a polycrystalline membrane containing metal nitride particles represented by the general formula MN.sub.x (where M is a metal element in which the Fermi energy is in a position higher than −4.4 eV vs L.V. and x is the range over which a rock salt-type structure can be assumed), in which the crystallite size determined by transmission electron microscopy is 10 nm or less, at least some of the crystallites have rock salt-type structure, and the crystallites exhibit (111) orientation but substantially do not exhibit (100) orientation. The present invention also pertains to a method for manufacturing a polycrystalline membrane, comprising forming, by sputtering, a polycrystalline membrane on a substrate having a temperature of less than 200° C., the polycrystalline membrane being represented by the general formula MN.sub.x and being such that at least some crystallites have a rock salt structure and the crystallites exhibit (111) orientation but essentially do not exhibit (100) orientation. The present invention provides a hydrogen-permeable TiN.sub.x microparticle membrane exhibiting a higher mixed hydride ion (H.sup.−)-electron conduction.

A zeolite membrane composite including a porous support and a zeolite membrane formed on a surface of the porous support. The zeolite membrane has an LTA-type crystal structure. The first atomic ratio: Si/Al of silicon element (Si) to aluminum element (Al) in the zeolite membrane is 1.29 or greater and 1.60 or less.

The present invention relates to the production of lithium from liquid resources such as natural and synthetic brines, leachate solutions from clays and minerals, and recycled products.

A composition of matter including a two-dimensional covalent organic imidazole framework (COF) polymer having an aromatic backbone and ordered nanometer sized pores that may be functionalized with a variety of functional groups. A filtration membrane having both high throughput and highly selective transport or rejection of a species of interest based on size, charge or other molecular properties is readily formed of the two-dimensional COF polymer. The filtration membrane being formed by providing a substrate, such as anodic aluminum oxide (AAO), and then depositing exfoliated carboxyl COF onto the substrate.