Patents by Inventor Alexis FOSTER

Alexis FOSTER has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9861940
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, forward osmosis, or reverse osmosis, particularly for use with brackish water or seawater. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acyl halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acyl halide to form a discrimination layer of a thin film composite membrane, where during formation of the membrane, the polyfunctional acyl halide is purified in situ by removal of hydrolyzed acyl halide through addition of a salt rejection-enhancing additive that includes a biguanide compound, dicarbonate compound, pentathiodicarbonate compound, or salt thereof. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: LG BABOH2O, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Koehler, Alexis Foster, Keunwon Song, Youngju Lee, Chongkyu Shin
  • Patent number: 9731985
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, forward osmosis, or reverse osmosis, particularly for use with brackish water at low energy conditions. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine and a flux enhancing combination of additives that includes a metal chelate additive containing a bidentate ligand and a metal atom or metal ion and a phosphoramide to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of the thin film composite membrane. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: LG NANOH2O, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Koehler, Alexis Foster, Keunwon Song, Young Ju Lee, Chongkyu Shin
  • Patent number: 9695065
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, or forward or reverse osmosis, for use with tap water, seawater and brackish water, particularly for use with brackish water at low energy conditions. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine and a flux enhancing combination, which includes a metal chelate additive containing a bidentate ligand and a metal atom or metal ion and a dialkyl sulfoxide, to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of the thin film composite membrane. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: LG NANOH2O, INC.
    Inventors: Jeff Koehler, Alexis Foster, Keunwon Song, Young Ju Lee, Chongkyu Shin
  • Publication number: 20170056840
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, forward osmosis, or reverse osmosis, particularly for use with brackish water or seawater. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acyl halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acyl halide to form a discrimination layer of a thin film composite membrane, where during formation of the membrane, the polyfunctional acyl halide is purified in situ by removal of hydrolyzed acyl halide through addition of a salt rejection-enhancing additive that includes a biguanide compound, dicarbonate compound, pentathiodicarbonate compound, or salt thereof. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Jeff Koehler, Alexis Foster, Keunwon Song, Youngju Lee, Chongkyu Shin
  • Publication number: 20160355416
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, or forward or reverse osmosis, for use with tap water, seawater and brackish water, particularly for use with brackish water at low energy conditions. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine and a flux enhancing combination, which includes a metal chelate additive containing a bidentate ligand and a metal atom or metal ion and a dialkyl sulfoxide, to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of the thin film composite membrane. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jeff KOEHLER, Alexis FOSTER, Keunwon SONG, Young Ju LEE, Chongkyu SHIN
  • Publication number: 20160355415
    Abstract: Provided is an interfacial polymerization process for preparation of a highly permeable thin film composite membrane, which can be used for nanofiltration, forward osmosis, or reverse osmosis, particularly for use with brackish water at low energy conditions. The process includes contacting a porous support membrane with an aqueous phase containing a polyamine and a flux enhancing combination of additives that includes a metal chelate additive containing a bidentate ligand and a metal atom or metal ion and a phosphoramide to form a coated support membrane, and applying an organic phase containing a polyfunctional acid halide to the coated support membrane to interfacially polymerize the polyamine and the polyfunctional acid halide to form a discrimination layer of the thin film composite membrane. Also provided are the membranes prepared by the methods and reverse osmosis modules containing the membranes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jeff KOEHLER, Alexis FOSTER, Keunwon SONG, Young Ju LEE, Chongkyu SHIN