A polymer including a reaction product of a sulfonated polyarylene ether sulfone and at least one compound selected from a sulfonated compound having a thiol group at a terminal thereof and a sulfonated compound having a hydroxy group at a terminal thereof.

Disclosed is a block copolymer of the formula: A-B-A (I) or A-B (II), wherein block A is: (i) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether or (ii) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH.sub.2).sub.a—S—(CH.sub.2).sub.b—X, wherein a, b, and X are defined herein. The block copolymers find use as wetting agents in the preparation of porous membranes from aromatic hydrophobic polymers such as polyethersulfone. Also disclosed are methods of preparing such block copolymers and porous membranes therefrom.

Disclosed is a block copolymer of the formula: A-B-A (I) or A-B (II), wherein block A is: (i) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether or (ii) a polymer of allyl glycidyl ether wherein one more of the allyl groups have been replaced with 1,2-dihydroxypropyl group or a group of the formula: —(CH.sub.2).sub.a—S—(CH.sub.2).sub.b—X, wherein a, b, and X are defined herein. The block copolymers find use as wetting agents in the preparation of porous membranes from aromatic hydrophobic polymers such as polyethersulfone. Also disclosed are methods of preparing such block copolymers and porous membranes therefrom.

Process for producing polyarylene ether beads from a polyarylene ether solution, comprising the steps of i) dividing the polyarylene ether solution into droplets, ii) transferring the droplets into a precipitation bath to form polyarylene ether beads in the precipitation bath which (A) comprises at least one aprotic solvent (component (1)) and at least one protic solvent (component (2)), (B) has a temperature of 0° C. to T.sub.c, where the critical temperature T.sub.c in [° C.] can be determined by the numerical equation T.sub.c=(99−c)/0.61 in which c is the concentration of component (1) in the precipitation bath in [% by weight] and (C) has component (1) in concentrations of 5% by weight to c.sub.c, where the critical concentration c.sub.c in [% by weight] can be determined by the numerical equation c.sub.c=99−0.61*T in which T is the temperature in the precipitation bath in [° C.], where
the percentages by weight are each based on the sum of the percentages by weight of component (1) and of component (2) in the precipitation bath.

Process for producing polyarylene ether beads from a polyarylene ether solution, comprising the steps of i) dividing the polyarylene ether solution into droplets, ii) transferring the droplets into a precipitation bath to form polyarylene ether beads in the precipitation bath which (A) comprises at least one aprotic solvent (component (1)) and at least one protic solvent (component (2)), (B) has a temperature of 0° C. to T.sub.c, where the critical temperature T.sub.c in [° C.] can be determined by the numerical equation T.sub.c=(99−c)/0.61 in which c is the concentration of component (1) in the precipitation bath in [% by weight] and (C) has component (1) in concentrations of 5% by weight to c.sub.c, where the critical concentration c.sub.c in [% by weight] can be determined by the numerical equation c.sub.c=99−0.61*T in which T is the temperature in the precipitation bath in [° C.], where
the percentages by weight are each based on the sum of the percentages by weight of component (1) and of component (2) in the precipitation bath.

The invention relates to a process for producing polyarylene ether beads from a polyarylene ether solution, comprising the steps of i) dividing the polyarylene ether solution in a division apparatus which is made to vibrate with a frequency of 10 to 1400 Hz to obtain droplets, ii) transferring the droplets into a precipitation bath to form polyarylene ether beads in the precipitation bath which (A) comprises at least one aprotic solvent (component (1)) and at least one protic solvent (component (2)), (B) has a temperature of 0° C. to T.sub.c, where the critical temperature T.sub.c in [° C.] can be determined by the numerical equation T.sub.c=(77−c)/0.58 in which c is the concentration of component (1) in the precipitation bath in [% by weight] and (C) has component (1) in concentrations of 5% by weight to c.sub.c, where the critical concentration c.sub.c in [% by weight] can be determined by the numerical equation c.sub.c=77−0.58*T in which T is the temperature in the precipitation bath in [° C.], where
the percentages by weight are each based on the sum of the percentages by weight of component (1) and of component (2) in the precipitation bath.

The invention relates to a process for producing polyarylene ether beads from a polyarylene ether solution, comprising the steps of i) dividing the polyarylene ether solution in a division apparatus which is made to vibrate with a frequency of 10 to 1400 Hz to obtain droplets, ii) transferring the droplets into a precipitation bath to form polyarylene ether beads in the precipitation bath which (A) comprises at least one aprotic solvent (component (1)) and at least one protic solvent (component (2)), (B) has a temperature of 0° C. to T.sub.c, where the critical temperature T.sub.c in [° C.] can be determined by the numerical equation T.sub.c=(77−c)/0.58 in which c is the concentration of component (1) in the precipitation bath in [% by weight] and (C) has component (1) in concentrations of 5% by weight to c.sub.c, where the critical concentration c.sub.c in [% by weight] can be determined by the numerical equation c.sub.c=77−0.58*T in which T is the temperature in the precipitation bath in [° C.], where
the percentages by weight are each based on the sum of the percentages by weight of component (1) and of component (2) in the precipitation bath.

The presence of certain impurities in diphenyl sulfone have a deleterious effect on the properties of the poly(aryletherketone)s produced therein, including one or more of color, melt stability, molecular weight, crystallinity, etc. and here identify those impurities and provide processes for the recovery of the diphenyl sulfone.

Constructs having membrane proteins stabilized by functionalized beta-sheet peptides are provided. The constructs can be associated with or covalently linked to supports. The support can be a membrane. The membrane can be used to selectively move desired particles from one side of the membrane to the other while impeding passage of undesired particles through the membrane. Methods of making and using such constructs and membranes are provided.

Constructs having membrane proteins stabilized by functionalized beta-sheet peptides are provided. The constructs can be associated with or covalently linked to supports. The support can be a membrane. The membrane can be used to selectively move desired particles from one side of the membrane to the other while impeding passage of undesired particles through the membrane. Methods of making and using such constructs and membranes are provided.