Devices including a membrane formed from a curable composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9539548-B2
Application number	US-201514979779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2009
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A device selected from the group consisting of an electrodialysis or reverse electrodialysis unit, an electrodeionization module and a flow through capacitor, the device comprising a membrane obtained from a process comprising the following steps: applying a curable composition to a support; and curing the composition to form a membrane; wherein the curable composition comprises:
(i) 2.5 to 50 wt % crosslinker comprising at least two acrylamide groups; (ii) 12 to 65 wt % curable ionic compound comprising an ethylenically unsaturated group and a cationic group; (iii) 10 to 70 wt % solvent; (iv) 0 to 10 wt % of free radical initiator; and (v) non-curable salt comprising a cation and an anion, wherein the anion is not sulfate; wherein the molar ratio of (i):ii) is greater than 0.10 and less than 5.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device selected from the group consisting of an electrodialysis or reverse electrodialysis unit, an electrodeionization module and a flow through capacitor, the device comprising a membrane obtained from a process comprising the following steps:
applying a curable composition to a support; and
curing the composition to form a membrane;
wherein the curable composition comprises:
(i) 2.5 to 50 wt % crosslinker comprising at least two acrylamide groups;
(ii) 12 to 65 wt % curable ionic compound comprising an ethylenically unsaturated group and a cationic group;
(iii) 10 to 70 wt % solvent;
(iv) 0 to 10 wt % of free radical initiator; and
(v) non-curable salt comprising a cation and an anion, wherein the anion is not sulfate;
wherein the molar ratio of (i):(ii) is greater than 0.10 and less than 5.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device is an electrodialysis or reverse electrodialysis unit.

3. The device according to claim 2 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

4. The device according to claim 3 which further comprises an inlet for providing a flow of salty water along a first side of the membrane and an inlet for providing a flow of a less salty water along a second side of the membrane such that ions pass from the first side to the second side of the membrane.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device is a flow through capacitor.

6. The device according to claim 5 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the device is an electrodeionization module.

8. The device according to claim 7 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein the composition comprises:
(i) 5 to 35 wt % crosslinker comprising at least two acrylamide groups;
(ii) 20 to 65 wt % curable ionic compound comprising an ethylenically unsaturated group and a cationic group; and
(iii) 16 to 45 wt % solvent;
(iv) 0.01 to 2 wt % of photoinitiator; and
(v) 3 to 40 wt % of non-curable salt comprising a cation and an anion, wherein the anion is not sulfate;
wherein the molar ratio of (i):(ii) is at least 0.15.

10. The device according to claim 9 wherein the device is an electrodialysis or reverse electrodialysis unit.

11. The device according to claim 10 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

12. The device according to claim 11 which further comprises an inlet for providing a flow of salty water along a first side of the membrane and an inlet for providing a flow of a less salty water along a second side of the membrane such that ions pass from the first side to the second side of the membrane.

13. The device according to claim 9 wherein the device is a flow through capacitor.

14. The device according to claim 13 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

15. The device according to claim 9 wherein the device is an electrodeionization module.

16. The device according to claim 15 which further comprises at least one anode and at least one cathode.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Mfg Europe Bv

Inventors

• Antheunis Harro
• Hessing Jacko
• Van Berchum Bastiaan

Classifications

• H01M8/1044

  Mixtures of polymers, of which at least one is ionically conductive · CPC title

• C02F2201/46

  Apparatus for electrochemical processes · CPC title

• B01D2323/30

  Cross-linking · CPC title

• H01M8/103

  having nitrogen, e.g. sulfonated polybenzimidazoles [S-PBI], polybenzimidazoles with phosphoric acid, sulfonated polyamides [S-PA] or sulfonated polyphosphazenes [S-PPh] · CPC title

• H01M8/1072

  by chemical reactions, e.g. in situ polymerisation or in situ crosslinking · CPC title