Cuno, Inc.

William R Kelly

Mark T Meyering

Joseph G Wallace

Jack H Vining

C Thomas Badenhop

C Thomas Baddenhop

Methods for manufacturing reinforced, three-zone, microporous membrane having a plurality of different possible pore sizes from at least a single mother dope batch, including formulating at least a single mother dope batch, controllably formulating the dope in at least one vessel such that the dope temperature does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a temperature lower than the mixing temperature, heating a small portion of the dope to a target temperature corresponding to a specific desired pore size to be formed in at least one zone of the microporous membrane in at least one thermal manipulation apparatus cooling the dope to about room temperature or a temperature which results in a suitable and/or optimal coating viscosity, operatively connecting at least one dope application apparatus is to the at least one thermal manipulation apparatus for transporting the manipulated dope to a dope processing site.

Process for making a three-zone microporous membrane

Systems and methods for the manufacture of reinforced, three-zone, microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different possible pore sizes in any of the three zones from at least a single mother dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating at least a single mother batch of dope in a vessel preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane production operation to produce three-zone phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes in any or all of the three zones. The at least one mother dope batch is controllably formulated in at least one vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage.

System for manufacturing reinforced three-zone microporous membrane

Systems and methods for processing dope for the manufacture of microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different pore sizes from a single master dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating a single master batch of dope preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane casting operation to produce phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes. The master dope batch is controllably formulated in a vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage. A small portion of the dope is then sequentially heated to a temperature no higher than any one of a plurality of target temperatures, the target temperature corresponding to a specific desired pore size to be formed in the microporous phase inversion membrane that results from casting the dope. As portions of the dope are incrementally transferred from the vessel to the dope casting apparatus, the dope portions are heated to a temperature no higher than within about &minus;0.15&deg; C. of the target temperature. The dope is then cooled to about room temperature or the temperature which results in a suitable and/or optimal casting viscosity and transferred to the dope casting apparatus to be forming microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different possible pore sizes. The incremental heating method is also effective for reprocessing a dope to produce a plurality of possible microporous phase inversion membranes having any one of a plurality of possible pore sizes as long as the dope is reprocessed at a temperature higher than the maximum temperature to which the dope was exposed during formulation and previous processing.

Process of making microporous phase inversion membranes

Systems for processing dope for the manufacture of microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different pore sizes from a single master dope batch is disclosed. The systems and methods include formulating a single master batch of dope preferably maximizing the non-solvent to solvent ratio for a given weight percentage of polymer for use in a microporous phase inversion membrane casting operation to produce phase inversion membranes having one of a plurality of different predetermined pore sizes. The master dope batch is controllably formulated in a vessel such that the temperature of the dope does not exceed a predetermined maximum mixing temperature and is maintained at a relatively low temperature (lower than the mixing temperature) suitable for storage. A small portion of the dope is then sequentially heated to a temperature no higher than any one of a plurality of target temperatures, the target temperature corresponding to a specific desired pore size to be formed in the microporous phase inversion membrane that results from casting the dope. As portions of the dope are incrementally transferred from the vessel to the dope casting apparatus, the dope portions are heated to a temperature no higher than within about .+-.0.15.degree. C. of the target temperature. The dope is then cooled to about room temperature or the temperature which results in a suitable and/or optimal casting viscosity and transferred to the dope casting apparatus to be forming microporous phase inversion membrane having any one of a plurality of different possible pore sizes.

Growing community of inventors

Moravia, NY, United States of America

William R Kelly