Nanyang Technological University

Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.

Evoqua Water Technologies Pte. Ltd.

Institute of Materials Research and Engineering

British Gas Asia Pacific Pte Limited

H2mo Technology Pte Ltd

Aquaporin A/s

Rong Wang

Xiao Hu

Yufeng Cai

Tai-Shung Chung

Anthony Gordon Fane

Ye Liu

Chuyang Tang

Dong-Fei Li

Changquan Qiu

Hirotaka Mizoguchi

Qing Li

David Tee Liang

Joo Hwa Tay

Yang Zhao

Atsushi Goto

Lei Shi

Yunfeng Chen

Lizhi Zhang

Yining Wang

Miao Tian

Yasuyuki Miyoshi

Ji Zhong Ren

Jing Wei

Yuan Zhang

Chun Cao

Wenming Shen

Jaume Torres

Ardcharaporn Vararattanavech

Claus Helix-Nielsen

Laurentia Setiawan

Ye Li

Claus HÉLIX-Nielsen

The present invention relates to a method for producing a composite membrane, the method comprising impregnating a surface of a porous membrane substrate with an aqueous suspension comprising a mixture of at least one polyamine and at least one phospholipid; and contacting the impregnated surface with an organic phase containing a monomer to thereby deposit a polyamide layer on the impregnated surface. The present invention also relates to a composite membrane comprising at least one porous membrane substrate having nano-sized or micro-sized pores; and at least a polyamide layer disposed on a surface of the porous membrane substrate, the polyamide layer comprising at least one phospholipid dispersed therein, and wherein the polyamide layer is an interfacial polymerization product.

Composite membrane and method of making the same

The invention relates to hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes, and in particular, to hydrophobic organic-inorganic composite hollow fiber membranes. Methods for forming the hydrophobic organic-inorganic composite hollow fiber membranes are also disclosed. The hydrophobic organic-inorganic composite hollow fiber membranes may be used in membrane contactor applications such as gas-liquid (G-L) contactor and liquid-liquid (L-L) contactor processes. Applications for G-L membrane contactors include gas streams purification (gas absorption), water ozonation, and water deoxygenation. Applications for L-L membrane contactors include direct contact membrane distillation and liquid-liquid extraction.

Hydrophobic organic-inorganic composite hollow fiber membrane and method of forming the same

A method of forming a forward osmosis membrane having a porous substrate and a rejection layer is provided. The method comprises a) forming a thin film of a polymer solution on a suitable substrate, wherein the polymer solution contains at least one polymer and optionally one or more additives in a suitable solvent, b) immersing the thin film in a coagulant bath to form the porous substrate; and c) forming a rejection layer on the porous substrate. A forward osmosis membrane is also provided.

Forward osmosis membrane and method of forming a forward osmosis membrane

Present invention relates to a thin film composite membrane wherein a thin selective layer, having incorporated amphiphilic vesicles, is supported by a microporous substrate. A process of preparing the thin film composite membrane and its use are also disclosed.

Aquaporin based thin film composite membranes

The present invention provides an antifouling ability-imparting agent that adheres well to a variety of water treatment membranes such as reverse osmosis membranes and imparts excellent antifouling ability to the water treatment membranes. The present invention relates to an antifouling ability-imparting agent containing a copolymer, the copolymer containing: a structural unit (I) represented by the following formula (1): wherein Ris a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; Ris a direct bond, —CH—, —CHCH—, or —CO—; Rs are the same as or different from each other and are each a C1-C20 alkylene group; X is —CHCH(OH)CH(OH) or —CH(—CHOH); and n is a number of moles of oxyalkylene groups added and is 0 to 100; and a structural unit (II) represented by the following formula (2): wherein Ris a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; Ris a direct bond, —CH—, —CHCH—, or —CO—; Rs are the same as or different from each other and are each a C1-C20 alkylene group; Ris a hydrogen atom or a C1-C20 alkyl group; and m is a number of moles of oxyalkylene groups added and is 1 to 100.

Fouling prevention ability-imparting agent and water treatment membrane manufactured using same

A draw solute for a forward osmosis process, the draw solute comprising: a thermally responsive ionic compound having at least one of: a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and an upper critical solution temperature (UCST), the draw solute being regeneratable from a diluted aqueous draw solution after forward osmosis via one of: liquid-liquid phase separation and solid-liquid phase separation, the draw solute being regeneratable when the diluted aqueous draw solution is at a temperature selected from one of: above the LCST and below the UCST.

Draw solute for a forward osmosis process

A draw solute for forward osmosis comprising a semi-interpenetrating (semi-IPN) hydrogel which comprises a thermally responsive polymer and a hydrophilic polymer, such that the semi-IPN hydrogel is capable of switching between a hydrophilic and hydrophobic state in response to changes in temperature is provided. Also provided is a draw solute comprising a hydrogel of a polyionic thermally responsive polymer, wherein the hydrogel switches between a hydrophilic state to allow absorption of water osmosed from a feed solution and a hydrophobic state to allow release of the absorbed water in response to changes in temperature. There is also provided a forward osmosis method comprising: contacting a feed solution and the draw solute via a semi-permeable membrane, such that feed water in the feed solution passes through the membrane by osmotic pressure and moves into the draw solute; and separating the water from the draw solute to form a purified water product.

Draw solute and an improved forward osmosis method

The present invention provides a draw solute for forward osmosis comprising a carbon dioxide responsive structural unit and a thermally responsive structural unit, wherein the draw solute is capable of reversibly switching between a protonated state and a deprotonated state. The present invention also provides a forward osmosis method utilising the draw solute.

Draw solute for forward osmosis

A nanofiltration membrane comprising a selective layer comprising or consisting of poly(amide-imide) cross-linked with polyallylamine is provided. A method of manufacturing a nanofiltration membrane and use of a nanofiltration membrane in a water softening process that is carried out at a low pressure of less than about 2 bar are also provided.

Nanofiltration membrane and method of manufacturing a nanofiltration membrane

The present invention provides a method for the production of a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) asymmetric hollow fiber membrane. The invention comprises preparing a dope solution of PVDF-HFP with an additive of lithium chloride or glycerol dissolved in a solvent such as N-methylpyrollidone (NMP). The dope solution is spun to form a PVDF-HFP asymmetric hollow fiber membrane.

Method for the production of an asymmetric hollow fiber membrane

A process for the manufacture of a polyimide hollow fibre comprising: (i) providing a dope solution comprising one or more polyimides dissolved in a solvent comprising 60-100 wt % N-methylpyrollidone and 0-40 wt % ethanol, (ii) providing a bore fluid, (iii) generating a tube of the dope solution filled with the bore fluid, (iv) bringing the product of step (iii) into contact with a coagulation solvent to form a hollow fiber.

Manufacture of polyimide-hollow fibres

A process is provided for chemically modifying a dual-layer hollow fibre, wherein the fibre comprises a first layer consisting essentially of a polyimide and a second layer consisting essentially of a polymer which is substantially unaffected by the chemical modification process. The process comprises contacting the polyimide layer with a polyamine. In addition, a process is provided for chemically modifying a polyimide membrane in general, using a process which comprises contacting the membrane with an alcoholic solution of an aliphatic-aromatic polyamine.

Chemical modification of polyimides

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Rong Wang