Described herein are water desalination membranes and methods of desalinating water. Sulfonated poly(arylene ether) polymers are also disclosed, including those comprising one or more sulfonate groups at various points along the polymer chain. The polymers may be used as at least a portion of a water desalination membrane. The polymers described herein are useful for preventing transport of aqueous ionic species (e.g., Na.sup.+ and Cl.sup.−) across a membrane made from the polymers while allowing water to pass. Chlorine-stable polymers are described, as well as polymers exhibiting good performance for rejecting monovalent cations in the presence of polyvalent cations.

Water or wastewater filtration processes and systems have a plurality of membrane modules, each having filter media therein, the plurality of membrane modules arranged in parallel fluid flow, a main bottom feed conduit, a main top feed conduit, and separate feed conduits fluidly connecting the main bottom feed conduits and the main top feed conduits to respective membrane modules. A main filtrate conduit, and separate filtrate conduits fluidly connect respective membrane modules to the main filtrate conduit. A backwash conduit fluidly connects the main filtrate conduit to respective membrane modules through the main top and bottom feed conduits. A pump having a pump feed conduit and a pump discharge conduit, the pump discharge conduit fluidly connected to the main top and bottom feed conduits, and a plurality of automatically controllable valves positioned in the main top and bottom feed conduits, the main filtrate conduit, the pump discharge conduit, and the backwash conduit, with a controller configured to actuate the plurality of automatically controllable valves to control feed and backwash flows through the membrane modules using pressure developed only by the pump. The pump is preferably operated by a variable-speed prime mover.

Water or wastewater filtration processes and systems have a plurality of membrane modules, each having filter media therein, the plurality of membrane modules arranged in parallel fluid flow, a main bottom feed conduit, a main top feed conduit, and separate feed conduits fluidly connecting the main bottom feed conduits and the main top feed conduits to respective membrane modules. A main filtrate conduit, and separate filtrate conduits fluidly connect respective membrane modules to the main filtrate conduit. A backwash conduit fluidly connects the main filtrate conduit to respective membrane modules through the main top and bottom feed conduits. A pump having a pump feed conduit and a pump discharge conduit, the pump discharge conduit fluidly connected to the main top and bottom feed conduits, and a plurality of automatically controllable valves positioned in the main top and bottom feed conduits, the main filtrate conduit, the pump discharge conduit, and the backwash conduit, with a controller configured to actuate the plurality of automatically controllable valves to control feed and backwash flows through the membrane modules using pressure developed only by the pump. The pump is preferably operated by a variable-speed prime mover.

A process for the preparation of a filtration membrane, which includes providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, the vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; providing a porous support; functionalizing a surface of the porous support to introduce reactive groups on the surface which are capable of reacting with the reactive end groups of the amphiphilic block copolymers of the vesicles; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of the porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between the vesicles and the surface.

A process for the preparation of a filtration membrane, which includes providing an aqueous suspension of vesicles having transmembrane proteins incorporated therein, the vesicles being formed from an amphiphilic block copolymer having reactive end groups; providing a porous support; functionalizing a surface of the porous support to introduce reactive groups on the surface which are capable of reacting with the reactive end groups of the amphiphilic block copolymers of the vesicles; depositing said suspension of vesicles on a surface of the porous support; and providing reaction conditions such that covalent bonds are formed between the vesicles and the surface.

The invention relates to dense synthetic membranes made from polymerised phosphonium-based ionic liquids which were found to be particularly suitable for use in gas separation. The membranes are obtainable by copolymerization via UV-curing of a composition comprising a phosphonium-based ionic liquid monomer, a co-monomer, a cross-linker, a surfactant and a photo-initiator, the remainder of the polymerization mixture consisting of water. The invention also relates to a process of manufacturing said membranes, resulting in solid, dense and mechanically stable membranes, and to the use of the membranes so produced in the separation of gas mixtures, particularly gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide.

The invention relates to dense synthetic membranes made from polymerised phosphonium-based ionic liquids which were found to be particularly suitable for use in gas separation. The membranes are obtainable by copolymerization via UV-curing of a composition comprising a phosphonium-based ionic liquid monomer, a co-monomer, a cross-linker, a surfactant and a photo-initiator, the remainder of the polymerization mixture consisting of water. The invention also relates to a process of manufacturing said membranes, resulting in solid, dense and mechanically stable membranes, and to the use of the membranes so produced in the separation of gas mixtures, particularly gas mixtures containing carbon dioxide.

Provided is a water-treatment membrane including a porous support; and a polyamide active layer including chlorine on a surface thereof, wherein CIE L*a*b* color coordinate values after storing for 30 days or longer at 25° C. to 80° C. satisfy Equation 1 to Equation 3:
91<L*<97  <Equation 1>
−1.5<a*<1.5  <Equation 2>
−1.5<b*<8  <Equation 3> of the present disclosure, a water-treatment module including the same, and a method for manufacturing the same.

Composite materials for removing hydrophobic components from a fluid include a porous matrix polymer, carbon nanotubes grafted to surfaces of the porous matrix polymer, and polystyrene chains grafted to the carbon nanotubes. Examples of porous matrix polymer include polyurethanes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes. Membranes of the composite material may be enclosed within a fluid-permeable pouch to form a fluid treatment apparatus, such that by contacting the apparatus with a fluid mixture containing water and a hydrophobic component, the hydrophobic component absorbs selectively into the membrane. The apparatus may be removed from the fluid mixture and reused after the hydrophobic component is expelled from the membrane. The composite material may be prepared by grafting functionalized carbon nanotubes to a porous matrix polymer to form a polymer-nanotube composite, then polymerizing styrene onto the carbon nanotubes of the polymer-nanotube composite.

Composite materials for removing hydrophobic components from a fluid include a porous matrix polymer, carbon nanotubes grafted to surfaces of the porous matrix polymer, and polystyrene chains grafted to the carbon nanotubes. Examples of porous matrix polymer include polyurethanes, polyethylenes, and polypropylenes. Membranes of the composite material may be enclosed within a fluid-permeable pouch to form a fluid treatment apparatus, such that by contacting the apparatus with a fluid mixture containing water and a hydrophobic component, the hydrophobic component absorbs selectively into the membrane. The apparatus may be removed from the fluid mixture and reused after the hydrophobic component is expelled from the membrane. The composite material may be prepared by grafting functionalized carbon nanotubes to a porous matrix polymer to form a polymer-nanotube composite, then polymerizing styrene onto the carbon nanotubes of the polymer-nanotube composite.