Membranes of the present disclosure possess very thin barrier layers, with high selectivity, high throughput, low fouling, and are long lasting. The membranes include graphene and/or graphene oxide barrier layers on a nanofibrous supporting scaffold. Methods for forming these membranes, as well as uses thereof, are also provided. In embodiments, an article of the present disclosure includes a nanofibrous scaffold; at least a first layer of nanoporous graphene, nanoporous graphene oxide, or combinations thereof on at least a portion of a surface of the nanofibrous scaffold; an additive such as crosslinking agents and/or particles on an outer surface of the at least first layer of nanoporous graphene, nanoporous graphene oxide, or combinations thereof.

A semi-porous composite membrane and a method of manufacturing the semi-porous composite membrane. The semi-porous composite membrane includes a base supporting substrate comprising ?-Al.sub.2O.sub.3, an outer layer comprising silica, and an intermediate layer comprising crystalline fibers of boehmite, and at least one of a secondary metal oxide and a synthetic polymer, wherein the intermediate layer is disposed between the base supporting substrate and the outer layer. The crystalline fibers of boehmite are a length of 5-150 nm. The semi-porous composite membrane may be employed in membrane reactors.

The present disclosure provides a method for producing a water permeable molecular sieve in which a porous substrate having micron-size pores has deposited on a surface thereof non-porous 2D platelets to seal, at the substrate surface, pores in the porous substrate to form a layer of 2D platelets. A curable sealing material is deposited onto the layer of 2D platelets and any remaining exposed areas of the surface of the porous substrate and curing the curable sealing material in order to form a sealed layer on the surface of the porous substrate to prevent water by-passing the non-porous 2D platelets and passing through the porous substrate. An array of sub-nanopores are then produced through the sealed layer with the array of sub-nanopores having a size to allow water to pass therethrough but not metal ions to give a water permeable molecular sieve characterized by water permeability at low di?erential pressures.

A membrane includes a porous base membrane and a hydrophilic coating. The coating comprises a hydrophilic additive and a hydrophilic polymer derivatized with an electron beam reactive group adapted to form a radical under high energy irradiation. In some embodiments, the membrane comprises a fluoropolymer. Also disclosed are processes for forming the membrane.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a spiral wound separation membrane element that is capable of maintaining the membrane performance of a composite semipermeable membrane before processing into an element and has excellent membrane performance. This method for producing a spiral wound separation membrane element includes: a step for preparing a composite semipermeable membrane having a skin layer on the surface of a porous support; a step for forming on the skin layer a protective layer containing 35 mg/m.sup.2 or more of an anionic polyvinyl alcohol to prepare a protective layer-equipped composite semipermeable membrane; a step for preparing an unwashed spiral wound separation membrane element using the protective layer-equipped composite semipermeable membrane; and a step for passing wash water through the unwashed spiral wound separation membrane element to remove the protective layer on the skin layer.

Provided is a facilitated CO.sub.2 transport membrane having an improved CO.sub.2 permeance and an improved CO.sub.2/H.sub.2 selectivity. The facilitated CO.sub.2 transport membrane includes a separation-functional membrane that includes a hydrophilic polymer gel membrane containing a CO.sub.2 carrier and a CO.sub.2 hydration catalyst. Further preferably, the CO.sub.2 hydration catalyst at least has catalytic activity at a temperature of 100? C. or higher, has a melting point of 200? C. or higher, or is soluble in water.

A complex nanofiltration membrane comprising a substrate and a separating layer, wherein the separating layer is an oxidant-treated, crosslinked network structure formed from a hydroxyl-containing polymer, a thiol-containing silane coupling agent and a crosslinking agent, is disclosed. Also disclosed are a process for preparing the complex nanofiltration membrane and use of the complex nanofiltration membrane in water treatment.

Described herein are nanofibers and methods for making nanofibers that include any one or more of (a) a non-homogeneous charge density; (b) a plurality of regions of high charge density; and/or (c) charged nanoparticles or chargeable nanoparticles. In one aspect, the present invention fulfills a need for filtration media that are capable of both high performance (e.g., removal of particle sizes between 0.1 and 0.5 ?m) with a low pressure drop, however the invention is not limited in this regard.

A method of producing a composite for acid gas separation by roll-to-roll process, including: a preparation step for preparing a coating liquid, containing a hydrophilic compound, an acid gas carrier and water, for formation of an acid gas separation facilitated transport membrane; a coating step for coating onto the support the coating liquid for formation at a liquid membrane thickness of 0.3 mm to 3.0 mm; a winding step for drying the coated liquid membrane in a drying oven to form the acid gas separation facilitated transport membrane, and winding around a winding roll the composite formed through formation of the acid gas separation facilitated transport membrane on the support, wherein humidity in a winding step unit in which the winding step is performed is measured to control the humidity to be 10% to 60%, and the winding step is performed under the controlled humidity conditions.

Described herein is a graphene material such as graphene oxide and polymer based selectively permeable element that provides selective permeability between polar and non-polar molecules such as fluid, gas or vapor. The methods for making these selectively permeable elements and related devices are also described.