The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 10, 2000
Filed:
May. 21, 1999
Greg Rusch, Wilmington, DE (US);
Jeffrey A Kolde, Baltimore, MD (US);
Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc., Newark, DE (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a distinct advancement over presently known ion-exchange composite membranes, and the techniques for making such membranes. In one embodiment of the present invention, this is accomplished by a thin integral composite membrane comprised of a microporous polymer film, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having a porous microstructure defined by polymeric fibrils, which provides a reinforcing support that supports an ion-exchange polymer resin or material on one side of the porous polymeric film and supports another different ion-exchange polymer resin on the other side. Thus, the invention uses two different ion-exchange resins on each side of a porous polymeric support film. By employing ionic exchange resins which differ in structure, functional groups or equivalent weight, or a combination of such, a wide variety of composites can be made and tailored to specific end uses.