Abstract: An anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to filter membranes for use in actively depressing microbial viability in filtration applications. The anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to substrates that are considered to be sensitive to damage by conventional metal coating techniques or resistant to metal bonding. The coating may be applied from a salt absorbed to the substrate in solution, converted to a reducible form with a conversion agent, and reduced to active metal format through a low temperature plasma treatment.

Abstract: An anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to filter membranes for use in actively depressing microbial viability in filtration applications. The anti-microbial metal coating may be applied to substrates that are considered to be sensitive to damage by conventional metal coating techniques or resistant to metal bonding. The coating may be applied from a salt absorbed to the substrate in solution, converted to a reducible form with a conversion agent, and reduced to active metal format through a low temperature plasma treatment.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments in desalination by direct contact membrane distillation present a cylindrical cross-flow module containing high-flux composite hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes. The present embodiments are directed to a model that has been developed to describe the observed water production rates of such devices in multiple brine feed introduction configurations. The model describes the observed water vapor production rates for different feed brine temperatures at various feed brine flow rates. The model flux predictions have been explored over a range of hollow fiber lengths to compare the present results with those obtained earlier from rectangular modules which had significantly shorter hollow fibers.

Abstract: A substrate surface may be modified with a polymer coating to render the surface suitable for plasma functionalization. The polymer coating is deposited onto the surface at ambient temperature to a thickness of less than 0.1 ?m. The polymer coating includes poly(p-xylylene) or a derivative thereof, and is capable of penetrating into pores of a porous substrate while no substantially altering the porosity of the substrate. The coated substrate is selected from a material lacking a primary or secondary aliphatic hydrogen atom.

Abstract: A semipermeable gas separation membrane is plasma deposited from liquid organosiloxane monomer having at least three silicon atoms and an alpha hydrogen atom. The semipermeable membrane may be employed as a gas-selective membrane in combination with a porous substrate.

Abstract: A semipermeable gas separation membrane is plasma deposited from liquid organosiloxane monomer having at least three silicon atoms and an alpha hydrogen atom. The semipermeable membrane may be employed as a gas-selective membrane in combination with a porous substrate.

Abstract: A modular fluid treatment system utilizing hollow fiber cartridges held within the controlled environment of a reaction chamber, with the system being designed to accommodate and facilitate ease of access to individual cartridges within a given module. The arrangement provides for parallel operation of a group of individual modules, while at the same time facilitating access to individual modules for cartridge replacement. Each module includes an elongated cylindrical reaction chamber with end caps, with the end caps being designed to sealingly engage and retain individual cartridges for use within the module, while at the same time providing for accommodating a wide range of tolerance for variations in cartridge length.

Abstract: A method of separating at least one gaseous component from a feed comprising a mixture of gases using a liquid membrane barrier and a sweep fluid is disclosed that includes selecting a sweep gas or a sweep liquid membrane and providing a treatment zone in a treatment chamber having a plurality of hydrophobic microporous hollow fibers, the treatment chamber having opposed end walls with ports including feed and membrane inlets and a sweep outlet at one end and a sweep inlet and a feed and membrane outlets at the opposed end and a plurality of hydrophobic elongated microporous hollow fibers extending between the feed and sweep inlet ports and feed and sweep outlet ports respectively and arranged for counter-current flow of feed gas and sweep fluids therethrough.

Abstract: Gas permselective membranes having a high selectivity and high flux are prepared by plasma polymerizing a coating onto the surface of a microporous membrane substrate. Two types of coatings are disclosed. Gas separatory modules utilize the novel membranes in the form of hollow fibers.

Abstract: A hydrophobic microporous membrane substrate can be coated with a plasma polymerizate coating in order to reduce the pore size of the substrate to a size smaller than the original pore size but not less than about 10 A. By selecting the particular plasma polymerizate coating, the surface of the substrate may be rendered either hydrophilic or hydrophobic, while the body of the substrate retains the substrate's original properties of mechanical strength and chemical resistance. Three different methods of applying plasma polymer coatings by plasma polymerization techniques are disclosed. These membranes are suitable for separating particulate larger than about 10 A from solutions. These membranes in the form of hollow fibers can be incorporated into separatory modules.

Abstract: A supplemental respiratory device is shown that uses electronic components to regulate the flow of a respirable gas to a user, intermittently, on a demmand basis. The present invention, by monitoring small changes in relative airway pressure, caused by the user's inspiratory or expiratory effort, supplies gas only when an inhalation is detected. The present respiratory device can also vary the duration of the gas delivery time to compensate for changes in user breath rate. The invention herein is designed to be compatible with a standard nasal cannula. An electronic apnea detector is shown, and is included in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In addition, the invention herein, when not used for gas delivery purposes, can be used as a diagnostic device for providing information concerning a user's breathing pattern.

Abstract: A laminate formed by the solvent casting of a two phase siloxane-polyarylene polyether block copolymer onto a suitable microporous substrate such as a microporous polypropylene film, to produce a gas permeable and blood compatible membrane having sufficient mechanical strength for use in blood oxygenators and gas separation devices. For use in blood oxygenators, implantable biomedical devices, blood sampling, analysis or purification devices and artificial membrane lungs for cancer therapy or lung disease therapy, the two phase block copolymers such as polysufone-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymer preferrably have molecular weights in the ratio 5,000/5,000 M.sub.n 's with a 45% volume fraction as polysulfone, or at least 50% volume fraction represented as siloxane. For use in gas separation devices, the molecular weights of the polysulfone-polydimethylsiloxane blocks may be varied from 1,500 to 100,000 or greater M.sub.