A purification method for a biological fluid comprising at least a filtration step through a membrane obtained from a sulfone polymer (PSI) derived from bio-based feed-stocks. In particular the polymer (PSI) comprises more than 50% moles recurring units (R.sub.PSI) comprising sugar moieties selected from the group consisting of those of formulae (E-I) to (E-III):

##STR00001##

A membrane free from pore-forming agents comprising at least one sulfone polymer (PSI) and a method for preparing such a membrane.

The present invention relates to a process for the purification of a fluorocarbon from a mixture comprising said fluorocarbon and hydrogen, said process comprising a stage of bringing said mixture into contact with a membrane M1 to form a stream F1 comprising the fluorocarbon and a stream F2 comprising the hydrogen. The present invention also relates to a process for the production of trifluoroethylene. The present invention also relates to a process for the separation of a hydrofluoroolefin or of a hydrofluoroalkane from nitrogen by membrane separation. The present invention also relates to a process for the separation of trifluoroethylene from chlorotrifluoroethylene or from a hydrofluorocarbon.

Disclosed are membranes formed from self-assembling diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing porous membranes. Embodiments of the membranes contain the diblock copolymer self-assembled into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such membrane which involves spray coating a polymer solution containing the diblock copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by annealing the thin film in a solvent vapor and/or soaking in a solvent or mixture of solvents to form a nanoporous membrane.

Disclosed are self-assembled structures formed from self-assembling diblock copolymers of the formula (I): ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1-R.sup.4, n, and m are as described herein, which find use in preparing nanoporous membranes. In embodiments of the self-assembled structure, the block copolymer self-assembles into a cylindrical morphology. Also disclosed is a method of preparing such self-assembled structure which involves spin coating a polymer solution containing the diblock copolymer to obtain a thin film, followed by solvent annealing of the film. Further disclosed is a method of preparing porous membranes from the self-assembled structures.

A semipermeable membrane comprising a polyether sulfone, a sulfonated polyarylene ether copolymer, and polyvinylpyrrolidone, having cytokine adsorption capabilities suitable for continuous renal replacement therapy. The sulfonated polyarylene ether copolymer includes a hydrophobic segment repeating unit represented by a formula (1) and a hydrophilic segment repeating unit represented by a formula (2) as copolymerization components. A ratio of (the polyether sulfone)/(the sulfonated polyarylene ether copolymer)/(the polyvinylpyrrolidone) (in mass) in the entirety of the semipermeable membrane is (75 to 90)/(7 to 22)/(3 to 18).

A large-scale fabrication technique for PIM-1 asymmetric membranes doped with low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol for gas separation. Based on the membrane fabrication technique of dry/wet phase inversion, firstly, the coagulation process of casting solution is regulated by low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol to thin the dense functional layer, to improve the hydrophilicity of the membrane structure, and to form mass transfer channels for the diffusion of polyethylene glycol into the dense functional layer. Then, directional migration and enrichment of polyethylene glycol are realized through capillary action induced by directional water evaporation for large-scale fabrication of PIM-1 asymmetric membranes doped with low-molecular-weight polyethylene glycol in the dense functional layer for gas separation, and thereafter high permeation ability and high selectivity are achieved simultaneously.

Compositions and methods related to the synthesis and application of poly(aryl ether)s are generally described.

The invention relates to: anion exchange blend membranes consisting the following blend components: a halomethylated polymer (a polymer with (CH.sub.2)x-CH2-Hal groups, Hal=F, Cl, Br, I; x=0-12), which is quaternised with a tertiary or a n-alkylated/n-arylated imidazole, an N-alkylated/N-arylated benzimidazole or an N-alkylated/N-arylated pyrazol to form an anion exchanger polymer. an inert matrix polymer in which the anion exchange polymer is embedded and which is optionally covalently crosslinked with the halomethylated precursor of the anion exchanger polymer, a polyethyleneglycol with epoxide or halomethyl terminal groups which are anchored by reacting with NH-groups of the base matrix polymer using convalent cross-linkingoptionally an acidic polymer which forms with the anion-exchanger polymer an ionic cross-linking (negative bound ions of the acidic polymer forming ionic cross-linking positions relative to the positive cations of the anion-exchanger polymer)optionally a sulphonated polymer (polymer with sulphate groups SO2Me, Me=any cation), which forms with the halomethyl groups of the halomethylated polymer convalent crosslinking bridges with sulfinate S-alkylation. The invention also relates to a method for producing said membranes, to the use of said membranes in electrochemical energy conversion processes (e.g. Redox-flow batteries and other flow batteries, PEM-electrolyses, membrane fuel cells), and in other membrane methods (e.g. electrodialysis, diffusion dialysis).

A fabrication technique for PIM-1 asymmetric membranes doped with polyethylene glycol for gas separation includes the following steps. Firstly, the coagulation process of casting solution is regulated by polyethylene glycol to thin the dense layer, to improve the hydrophilicity of the membrane structure, and to form mass transfer channels for the diffusion of polyethylene glycol into the dense layer. Then, directional migration and enrichment of polyethylene glycol are realized through capillary action induced by directional water evaporation for fabrication of PIM-1 asymmetric membranes doped with polyethylene glycol in the dense layer for gas separation.