Abstract: Disclosed is a nanoporous membrane including a porous support layer and a selective layer. The selective layer, being deposited on a surface of the porous support layer, has an effective pore size smaller than that of the porous support layer and contains an array of polymeric nanoparticles that have on their surfaces a plurality of —C(?O)XR groups. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating a nanoporous membrane described above and using the nanoporous membrane for separating a mixture that contains two solutes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing a filtration membrane. The method includes providing a copolymer solution by dissolving a statistical copolymer in a mixture of a co-solvent and a first organic solvent, coating the copolymer solution onto a porous support layer to form a polymeric layer thereon, coagulating the polymeric layer on top of the support layer to form a thin film composite membrane, and immersing the thin film composite membrane into a water bath to obtain a filtration membrane. Also disclosed are a filtration membrane prepared by the method, and a process of filtering a liquid using the filtration membrane thus prepared.

Abstract: Disclosed are copolymers, comprising a plurality of zwitterionic repeat units, and a plurality of hydrophobic repeat units, wherein the hydrophobic repeat units each independently comprises a cross-linkable moiety; the cross-linked copolymer network, comprising such copolymer; as well as thin film composite membrane comprising such cross-linked copolymer network.

Abstract: A graft copolymer including zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, in which the zwitterionic repeat units constitute 2-60 wt % of the graft copolymer and each of the hydrophobic repeat units is characterized in that a homopolymer formed thereof is miscible with polyvinylidene fluoride, polysulfone, poly ether sulfone, polyvinyl chloride, or polyacrylonitrile, each of the hydrophobic repeat units not being a repeat unit of polyvinylidene fluoride. Also disclosed is a filtration membrane containing such a graft copolymer or a statistical copolymer that includes the same composition of repeat units as the graft copolymer. Further disclosed are methods of preparing the graft copolymer and the filtration membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a statistical copolymer that includes both zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, and a filtration membrane that contains a selective layer formed of the statistical copolymer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the above-described filtration membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for preparing a thin film composite membrane by subjecting a solution comprising one or more zwitterionic copolymers to an electrospraying process, thereby preparing the thin film composite membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed are linear/random/statistical copolymers comprising three types of monomeric units: hydrophobic monomeric units, zwitterionic monomeric units, and charged or ionizable monomeric units. Also provided are thin film composite membranes whose selective layer is comprised of the copolymers disclosed herein, and the methods of use thereof.

Abstract: A two-layer membrane including a polymer layer and a support layer, the polymer layer being disposed on a surface of the support layer. The polymer layer, having a pore size of at most 50 nm and a thickness of 5 nm to 10 ?m, is formed of an amphiphilic copolymer that contains both charged groups and hydrophobic groups. The support layer has a pore size of 3 nm to 10 ?m, which is larger than the pore size of the polymer layer. Also disclosed is a process of filtering a liquid using the two-layer membrane described above.

Abstract: Disclosed is a nanoporous membrane including a porous support layer and a selective layer. The selective layer, being deposited on a surface of the porous support layer, has an effective pore size smaller than that of the porous support layer and contains an array of polymeric nanoparticles that have on their surfaces a plurality of —C(?O)XR groups. Also disclosed are methods of fabricating a nanoporous membrane described above and using the nanoporous membrane for separating a mixture that contains two solutes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a statistical copolymer that includes both zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, and a filtration membrane that contains a selective layer formed of the statistical copolymer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the above-described filtration membrane.

Abstract: A method for coating a porous support with a thin membrane selective layer via interfacial free-radical polymerization. The method is carried out by immersing a porous support in a monomer-containing solution, removing the porous support from the solution, covering the porous support with a second solution immiscible with the first solution, the second solution containing a polymerization initiator, activating the initiator to effect polymerization of the monomer, and washing the porous support having the membrane selective layer. Also disclosed are membranes prepared by the method and filtration methods using the membranes.

Abstract: A polymer fiber formed of statistical copolymers, each of which contains zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, the zwitterionic repeat units constituting 20-75 wt % of the statistical copolymer and the hydrophobic repeat units being characterized in that a homopolymer formed thereof has a glass transition temperature above room temperature. Also disclosed is a fibrous membrane containing such polymer fibers in which greater than 90% of the polymer fibers are each independently rib bon-shaped fibers or wrinkly fibers. A method of preparing such a fibrous membrane is disclosed as well.

Abstract: A two-layer photo-responsive membrane including a polymer layer and a support layer, the polymer layer being disposed on a surface of the support layer. The polymer layer is formed of a graft copolymer that contains a hydrophobic backbone and multiple side chains, the side chains each consisting of repeat units that switch between a hydrophobic form and a hydrophilic form upon exposure to a light of a specific wavelength. The polymer layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 3,000 to 250,000 Daltons and a thickness of 50 nm to 10 ?m; and the support layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 50 to 250,000 Daltons. Also disclosed is a method of preparing this two-layer photo-responsive membrane.

Abstract: A segregated polymeric material is described that includes a silicon-based hydrophobic polymer and a copolymer comprising a silicon-based hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic segment, wherein the copolymer has been segregated to a surface of the material by contacting the surface with an aqueous solution. The segregated polymeric material can be used to improve the wettability and decrease the protein adsorption of a surface.

Abstract: A graft copolymer including zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, in which the zwitterionic repeat units constitute 2-60 wt % of the graft copolymer and each of the hydrophobic repeat units is characterized in that a homopolymer formed thereof is miscible with polyvinylidene fluoride, polysulfone, poly ether sulfone, polyvinyl chloride, or polyacrylonitrile, each of the hydrophobic repeat units not being a repeat unit of polyvinylidene fluoride. Also disclosed is a filtration membrane containing such a graft copolymer or a statistical copolymer that includes the same composition of repeat units as the graft copolymer. Further disclosed are methods of preparing the graft copolymer and the filtration membrane.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of preparing a filtration membrane. The method includes providing a copolymer solution by dissolving a statistical copolymer in a mixture of a co-solvent and a first organic solvent, coating the copolymer solution onto a porous support layer to form a polymeric layer thereon, coagulating the polymeric layer on top of the support layer to form a thin film composite membrane, and immersing the thin film composite membrane into a water bath to obtain a filtration membrane. Also disclosed are a filtration membrane prepared by the method, and a process of filtering a liquid using the filtration membrane thus prepared.

Abstract: Disclosed is a statistical copolymer that includes both zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units and a filtration membrane that contains a selective layer formed of the statistical copolymer. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the above-described filtration membrane.

Abstract: A polymer fiber formed of statistical copolymers, each of which contains zwitterionic repeat units and hydrophobic repeat units, the zwitterionic repeat units constituting 20-75 wt % of the statistical copolymer and the hydrophobic repeat units being characterized in that a homopolymer formed thereof has a glass transition temperature above room temperature. Also disclosed is a fibrous membrane containing such polymer fibers in which greater than 90% of the polymer fibers are each independently rib bon-shaped fibers or wrinkly fibers. A method of preparing such a fibrous membrane is disclosed as well.

Abstract: A two-layer photo-responsive membrane including a polymer layer and a support layer, the polymer layer being disposed on a surface of the support layer. The polymer layer is formed of a graft copolymer that contains a hydrophobic backbone and multiple side chains, the side chains each consisting of repeat units that switch between a hydrophobic form and a hydrophilic form upon exposure to a light of a specific wavelength. The polymer layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 3,000 to 250,000 Daltons and a thickness of 50 nm to 10 ?m; and the support layer has a molecular weight cut-off of 50 to 250,000 Daltons. Also disclosed is a method of preparing this two-layer photo-responsive membrane.

Abstract: A two-layer membrane including a polymer layer and a support layer, the polymer layer being disposed on a surface of the support layer. The polymer layer, having a pore size of at most 50 nm and a thickness of 5 nm to 10 ?m, is formed of an amphiphilic copolymer that contains both charged groups and hydrophobic groups. The support layer has a pore size of 3 nm to 10 ?m, which is larger than the pore size of the polymer layer. Also disclosed is a process of filtering a liquid using the two-layer membrane described above.