Super-surface selective nanomembranes providing simultaneous high permeation flux and high selectivity

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016250601-A1
Application number	US-201615058579-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 2, 2016
Priority date	Nov 1, 2012
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Superhydrophobic membrane structures having a beneficial combination of throughput and a selectivity. The membrane structure can include a porous support substrate; and a membrane layer adherently disposed on and in contact with the porous support substrate. The membrane layer can include a nanoporous material having a superhydrophobic surface. The superhydrophobic surface can include a textured surface, and a modifying material disposed on the textured surface. Methods of making and using the membrane structures.

First claim

1 .- 28 . (canceled)

29 . A method comprising selectively separating a substance from a solution, the method comprising
contacting the solution with a membrane structure comprising:
a porous support substrate; and
a membrane layer adherently disposed on and in contact with the porous support substrate,
wherein the membrane layer comprises a nanoporous material having a textured surface,
wherein the textured surface modified with an organic material.
wherein the organic material renders the surface superhydrophobic; and
preferentially recovering the substance with high selectivity.

30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the substance is one selected from the group consisting of water, a water-soluble organic substance, a water-insoluble organic substance, an alcohol, an organic solvent, a gas, a hydrophobic a hydrophilic particulates, and combinations thereof.

31 . A method of making a membrane structure, the method comprising
depositing a glass onto a porous support substrate; heating the glass and the porous support substrate to a first temperature at a first rate, wherein the first temperature and the first rate are sufficient to cause the glass to separate into a plurality of phases; cooling the glass and the porous support substrate to a second temperature at a second rate, wherein the second temperature and the second rate are sufficient to cause the glass to solidify into a mass comprising a plurality of intertwined phases; and exposing the glass to an etchant to selectively etch one of the pluralities of intertwined phases thereby forming the nanoporous membrane comprising a plurality of mesopores each having a diameter of from 2 to 50 nm.

32 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the glass is selected from a borosilicate glass, a soda-lime glass, an alkali-free glass, a lead glass, and combinations thereof.

33 . The method of claim 31 , wherein the depositing step is performed by one selected from the group consisting of sputtering, electron beam evaporation, pulsed laser deposition, atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), chemical solution deposition, sol-gel deposition, screen printing, doctor-blade deposition, hot-wire CVD, plasma arc lamp deposition, pulsed electron deposition, ink-jet printing, and combinations thereof.

34 . A method of making a membrane structure, the method comprising:
depositing a metal layer onto the porous support substrate; performing an electrochemical anodization of the metal layer into oxide nanotube arrays to form a layered structure comprising the porous support substrate, the metal layer, and the oxide nanotube arrays; chemically etching the layered structure to render the nanotube array permeable by applying an etchant to the porous support substrate; and functionalizing the anodized surface with an organic polymer/ligand material comprising one selected from the group consisting of a fluorine-terminated silane, a methyl-terminated siloxane.

35 . The method of claim 34 , wherein the metal layer comprises one selected from the group consisting of Ti, Ti-alloys, Al, Al-alloys, Zr, Zr-alloys, Hf, Hf-alloys, and combinations thereof.

36 . A method of making a membrane structure, the method comprising:
forming a sol-gel comprising an oxide; applying the sol-gel to a porous support substrate; evaporating the sol-gel; and thermally calcining the membrane structure to form a self-assembled mesoporous silica layer comprising a plurality of nanochannels, wherein the nanochannels are oriented in a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the porous support substrate.

37 . A method of making a membrane structure, the method comprising:
forming a mixture comprising diatomaceous earth powder, a binder, and a solvent; forming a layer of the mixture on a porous support substrate by one selected from the group consisting of spraying, dip-coating, and combinations thereof; etching the layer with an etchant to produce a plurality of nanopores on a surface of the layer.

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the binder is one selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, polystyrene, polyvinyl alcohol, and combinations thereof.

39 . The method of claim 37 , further comprising removing the binder by applying a solvent.

40 . A method of making a membrane structure, the method comprising:
preparing a superhydrophobic diatomaceous earth (DE) powder by coating particles with one selected from the group consisting of a plurality of hydrophobic ligand molecules, a surface topography-conforming thin polymer coating, and combinations thereof; preparing a powder-polymer hybrid material by combining the plurality of superhydrophobic DE particles with a polymeric binder; and
depositing the powder-polymer hybrid material onto a porous support substrate.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc

Inventors

• Hu Michael Z
• Simpson John T
• Aytug Tolga
• Paranthaman Mariappan Parans
• Sturgeon Matthew R

Classifications

• B01D69/142 Primary

  with "carriers" · CPC title

• B01D67/0093

  Chemical modification · CPC title

• B01D71/04

  Glass · CPC title

• B01D2323/04

  Hydrophobization · CPC title

• B01D2325/38

  Hydrophobic membranes · CPC title