A filter for filtering nucleated cells that includes a body containing at least either a metal or a metal oxide as its main component; and plural through holes, each of which have a shape other than a square shape, formed therein. An arithmetic average roughness of a first side of the filter part is smaller than a size of a nucleus of the nucleated cells to be filtered.

Carbon nanotube membranes that are flexible, non-fragile, stable at high temperatures, superhydrophobic, have submicrometer openings, and are resistant to delamination and corrosive conditions are provided. The carbon nanotube membranes comprise carbon nanotubes grown on a microporous, metal substrate, e.g. silver, quartz fiber filter, and HAST. Methods of fabricating the carbon nanotubes are also provided.

A transfer line between the outlet of a steam cracker and the inlet for the quench system has metallic or ceramic inserts having a pore size from about 0.001 to about 0.5 microns inside the line forming a gas tight barrier with the inner surface of the line and having a vent for the resulting gas tight pocket are used to separate H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO and CO.sub.2 from cracked gases reducing the load on the down-stream separation train of the steam cracker.

Zeolite membrane sheets for separation of mixtures containing water are provided, as well as methods for making the same. Thin, but robust, zeolite membrane sheets having an inter-grown zeolite crystal film directly on a thin, less than 200 micron thick, porous support sheet free of any surface pores with a size above 10 microns. The zeolite membrane film thickness is less than about 10 microns above the support surface and less than about 5 microns below the support surface. Methods of preparing the membrane are disclosed which include coating of the support sheet surface with a seed coating solution containing the parent zeolite crystals with mean particle sizes from about 0.5 to 2.0 microns at loading of 0.05-0.5 mg/cm2 and subsequent growth of the seeded sheet in a growth reactor loaded with a growth solution over a temperature range of about 45? C. to about 120? C.

A nanocomposite membrane includes a macroporous polymer membrane having a plurality of pores. A plurality of metal nanoparticles are synthesized and immobilized within those plurality of pores. The nanoparticles are reduced and capped with a green reducing and capping agent such as green tea extract.

An inorganic structure body has a free-standing structure including a fibrous member and/or a shell. The fibrous member and/or the shell include a metal and/or an inorganic material and have a three-dimensionally continuous configuration. The free-standing structure may have a structure that is based on a nonwoven fabric or a porous membrane used as a substrate.

In a cell-capturing filter including a metal porous membrane, degradation over time is determined earlier. A cell-capturing filter includes a metal porous membrane having a plurality of through-holes that penetrate between two principal surfaces facing each other. The metal porous membrane is made of an alloy of nickel and an element selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, and palladium, or a metal containing nickel as a main component. A metal containing copper as a main component is attached to a part of either one of the principal surfaces of the metal porous membrane. By checking a state change of the metal containing copper as a main component, degradation over time of the metal porous membrane can be determined earlier

A mixed matrix membrane which is porous and has a cross section resembling a sponge. The membrane includes nanoparticle fillers which are also porous. The membrane may be freestanding or supported on a substrate. Methods of making the membrane by spin casting or solvent casting are described. Methods of separating a gas/organic vapor using the membrane are described.

A transfer line between the outlet of a steam cracker and the inlet for the quench system has metallic or ceramic inserts having a pore size from about 0.001 to about 0.5 microns inside the line forming a gas tight barrier with the inner surface of the line and having a vent for the resulting gas tight pocket are used to separate H.sub.2, CH.sub.4, CO and CO.sub.2 from cracked gases reducing the load on the down-stream separation train of the steam cracker.

A layered device is provided. The device includes a ceramic composite substrate layer and a hydrogen permeable layer. The ceramic composite substrate layer includes a metal oxide phase and ceramic proton conducting oxide phase. The substrate layer is dense upon sintering and has contiguous porosity upon reduction in reducing atmosphere. The hydrogen permeable layer includes a single metal, metal alloys or layers of different metals.