A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane is presented. The method includes stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets and forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants. The method further includes cross-linking the plurality of GO nanosheets by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a polydopamine coated polysulfone support.

A high flux and low pressure drop microfiltration (MF) membrane and a method for making the MF membrane. The microfiltration membranes are formed by a method that includes: preparing a nanofibrous structure; and modifying the surface of the nanofibrous structure with a surface modifier. The nanofibrous structure includes an electrospun nanofibrous scaffold or a polysaccharide nanofiber infused nanoscaffold or mixtures thereof. The electrospun nanofibrous scaffold can include polyacrylonitrile (PAN) or polyethersulfone (PES))/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or mixtures thereof. The surface modifier includes polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyvinyl amine (Lupamin) cross-linked by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGdGE)/glycidyltrimethylammonium chloride (GTMACl) or poly(1-(1-vinylimidazolium)ethyl-3-vinylimdazolium dibromide (VEVIMIBr).

The disclosure relates to processes, related polyacid polymers, and related articles for functionalizing a porous membrane by contacting the membrane with a polyacid polymer at low pH to stably adsorb a polyacid layer on the membrane pore surface, in particular polyacid polymers including repeating units with a pendent metal-binding ligand or star polyacid polymers. The resulting functionalized membrane is characterized by a high density of free acid groups, resulting in a higher specific capacity for its intended application. The process allows functionalization of porous membranes in a very simple, one-step process, for example without a need to derivatize an adsorbed polyacid layer to impart metal-binding ligand functionality thereto. Such functional membranes may find multiple uses, including rapid, selective binding of proteins for their purification or immobilization.

The present invention relates to improved methods for synthesis of thin film composite membranes by interfacial polymerization. More in particular, the method of the present invention comprises the impregnation of an ultrafiltration porous support membrane with an aqueous solution containing a polyfunctional nucleophilic monomer, and contacting the impregnated support membrane with a second largely water-immiscible solvent containing a polyfunctional epoxide monomer.

Solvent and acid stable ultrafiltration and nanofiltration membranes including a non-cross-linked base polymer having reactive pendant moieties, the base polymer being modified by forming a cross-linked skin onto a surface thereof, the skin being formed by a cross-linking reaction of reactive pendant moieties on the surface with an oligomer or another polymer as well as methods of manufacture and use thereof, including, inter alia separating metal ions from liquid process streams.

A method for synthesizing a water purification membrane is presented. The method includes stacking a plurality of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to create the water purification membrane, the stacking involving layer-by-layer assembly of the plurality of GO nanosheets and forming a plurality of nanochannels between the plurality of GO nanosheets for allowing the flow of a fluid and for rejecting the flow of contaminants. The method further includes cross-linking the plurality of GO nanosheets by 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyl trichloride on a polydopamine coated polysulfone support.

Membranes, methods of making the membranes, and methods of using the membranes are described herein. The membrane can comprise a support layer; and a selective polymer layer disposed on the support layer. The selective polymer layer can comprise a selective polymer matrix (e.g., hydrophilic polymer, an amine-containing polymer, a low molecular weight amino compound, a CO.sub.2-philic ether, or a combination thereof), and graphene oxide dispersed within the selective polymer matrix. The membranes can be used to separate carbon dioxide for hydrogen. Also provided are methods of purifying syngas using the membranes described herein.

Membrane materials may be used for treatment of aqueous fluid. Membrane materials suitable for water treatment may comprise: a base substrate having a plurality of pores defined therein; and a plurality of carbon nanotubes disposed upon the base substrate; wherein the plurality of carbon nanotubes includes oxidized carbon nanotubes having a plurality of carboxylic acid groups; wherein at least a portion of the carboxylic acid groups have been reacted with a polyamine compound via a first amine group of the polyamine compound to form a plurality of amide-linked polyamines bound to at least a portion of the plurality of carbon nanotubes, and at least a second amine group of polyamine compound is further functionalized as a reaction product of an active acyl compound.

The present disclosure relates to a hydrophilic modified polymer membrane and a method for fabricating the same, and more specifically, to a polymer membrane dip-coated with double bond-containing PVDF (DPVDF) and modified to be hydrophilic by reaction with a polymer or monomer containing an amine group, and a method of fabricating the same. The polymer membrane of the present disclosure is fabricated by physically coating a porous polymer substrate by dip coating with DPVDF, and then chemically modifying the surface of the dip-coated substrate to be hydrophilic using a polymer or monomer containing an amine group. That is, the polymer membrane is fabricated by performing both physical coating and chemical coating so that the dissolution of inorganic particles in the membrane can be further suppressed.

Provided are flux enhancing inclusion complexes for preparing highly permeable thin film composite membranes, and processes that include adding the flux enhancing inclusion complexes to the organic phase or aqueous phase prior to interfacial polymerization of the thin film composite membrane. The thin film composite membranes are suitable for nanofiltration, and reverse and forward osmosis. The provided processes can include contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide and a flux enhancing inclusion complex to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer to form thin film composite membranes.