Abstract: The present invention provides a nonwoven fabric for a separation membrane which can prevent a bleed-through of a resin solution used for coating in a step of producing the separation membrane, can produce a separation membrane having a large permeate flux of a liquid by non-solvent induced phase separation, has high adhesiveness between a coating membrane and the nonwoven fabric, and can make the coating membrane thin, and a method of producing the same. In an exemplary aspect of the present invention, a two-layer nonwoven fabric 10 for a separation membrane is configured to have a surface layer 11 and a back surface layer 12, a coating surface of a coating solution during membrane formation is a surface 11a of the surface layer 11, and, when the nonwoven fabric 10 is impregnated with the coating solution for membrane formation, the surface layer 11 has a large Laplace force and the back surface layer 12 has a small Laplace force.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane made of a hard carbon film that has oil resistance and can efficiently separate not only ions in water but also dye molecules present in an organic solvent, a filtering filter, a two-layer-bonded-type filtering filter, and methods for manufacturing the same, using a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane (10) made of a hard carbon film characterized by being made of a hard carbon film, having a thickness (t10) of from 5 nm to 300 nm, and having a maximum pore diameter of less than 0.86 nm.

Abstract: The invention provides networked polymeric nanofibers having a structure in which amorphous polymeric fibers are branched at multiple sites and having a diameter of from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers. A solution of a polymer such as polystyrene in a good solvent thereof is rapidly frozen to form a nanoscale phase-separation structure of the polymer and the frozen solvent. The networked polymeric nanofibers can then be obtained upon removing the frozen solvent.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane made of a hard carbon film that has oil resistance and can efficiently separate not only ions in water but also dye molecules present in an organic solvent, a filtering filter, a two-layer-bonded-type filtering filter, and methods for manufacturing the same, using a nanofiltration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) membrane (10) made of a hard carbon film characterized by being made of a hard carbon film, having a thickness (t10) of from 5 nm to 300 nm, and having a maximum pore diameter of less than 0.86 nm.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for fabricating a membrane filter that can stand up to filtration of nanometer-scaled fine particles or organic molecules, and a membrane filter having that filtration feature. Membrane filter 20 is disclosed. There is also the process for fabricating membrane filter 20 disclosed that is characterized by comprising the steps of mixing an aqueous solution containing a metal salt and an aqueous solution containing an alkali to prepare nanostrand solution 32 comprising a metal hydroxide, and filtrating nanostrand solution 32 through porous substrate 2 having pores to fabricate nanostrand sheet 3 comprising an accumulation of fibrous nanostrands on porous substrate 2 wherein the first pore formed between the nanostrands and extending through the nanostrand sheet from one surface side to another surface side has a maximum diameter of up to 5 nm.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an organic polymers-separation membrane filter capable of physically separating organic polymers based on their molecular stereostructure difference without giving rise to chemical changes in them and without selecting their chemical compositions. The organic polymers-separation membrane filter comprising an ultrafilter membrane is characterized in that a path taken by a nano permeation pore has a narrower path portion having a width narrower than that of the rest, wherein organic polymers capable of changing in their stereostructure are passed through the path while their width is transformed into a configuration along the narrower path portion, thereby separating the organic polymers. In the ultrafilter membrane, particulate materials are mutually coupled together in its thickness and planar directions. The particulate materials comprise a protein.

Abstract: A flexible porous free-standing protein membrane includes cross-linked protein. At least part of pores of the porous membrane is formed by removing nanostrands whose diameters are 2-3 nm, the cross-linked protein is cross-linked by a bifunctional cross-linker, and a thickness of the protein membrane is 10 ?m or less.

Abstract: A fabrication method for a flexible porous free-standing protein membrane formed by cross-linked protein includes (1) mixing nanostructured materials and protein to obtain a composite made of protein and nanostructured materials (for example metal hydroxide nanostrands); (2) forming a membranous body formed by the composite made of protein and nanostructured materials, and mutually cross-linking the protein by a cross-linker; and (3) dissolving and removing the nanostructured materials to produce a flexible porous free-standing protein membrane.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a flexible free-standing ultrathin (nano) or thin protein membrane that includes (1) keeping a dilute metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) nitrate or chloride solution under neutral or weak basic pH to spontaneously form metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands; (2) mixing the metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands and protein solution to obtain composite nanofibers made of protein and the metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands; (3) filtering the obtained dispersion of composite nanofibers on a filter; (4) cross-linking the proteins contained in the composite nanofibers by a bifunctional cross-linker; and (5) removing the metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands.

Abstract: Objects of the invention are to provide a solution in which polymer nanofibers are highly dispersed without undergoing gelation and precipitation, its fabrication process, and a polymer nanofiber membrane filter. Those objects are achievable by use of the nano-particulate fiber solution in which the nanoparticulate fibers 30 are dispersed in the poor solvent 42, wherein the nanoparticulate fibers each comprise an elongated segment in which a plurality of nanoparticles 11 are linked together and elongated, and a branching segment in which the elongated segment is branched off, and the polymer molecules are entangled up and aggregated with the molecule of the poor solvent 42 held between said polymer molecules. The polymer used herein should preferably have any one substituent of a hydroxyl group, an amino group or a fluoro group, as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: The invention provides networked polymeric nanofibers having a structure in which amorphous polymeric fibers are branched at multiple sites and having a diameter of from 1 nanometer to 100 nanometers. A solution of a polymer such as polystyrene in a good solvent thereof is rapidly frozen to form a nanoscale phase-separation structure of the polymer and the frozen solvent. The networked polymeric nanofibers can then be obtained upon removing the frozen solvent.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for fabricating a membrane filter that can stand up to filtration of nanometer-scaled fine particles or organic molecules, and a membrane filter having that filtration feature. Membrane filter 20 is disclosed. There is also the process for fabricating membrane filter 20 disclosed that is characterized by comprising the steps of mixing an aqueous solution containing a metal salt and an aqueous solution containing an alkali to prepare nanostrand solution 32 comprising a metal hydroxide, and filtrating nanostrand solution 32 through porous substrate 2 having pores to fabricate nanostrand sheet 3 comprising an accumulation of fibrous nanostrands on porous substrate 2 wherein the first pore formed between the nanostrands and extending through the nanostrand sheet from one surface side to another surface side has a maximum diameter of up to 5 nm.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide an organic polymers-separation membrane filter capable of physically separating organic polymers based on their molecular stereostructure difference without giving rise to chemical changes in them and without selecting their chemical compositions. The organic polymers-separation membrane filter comprising an ultrafilter membrane is characterized in that a path taken by a nano permeation pore has a narrower path portion having a width narrower than that of the rest, wherein organic polymers capable of changing in their stereostructure are passed through the path while their width is transformed into a configuration along the narrower path portion, thereby separating the organic polymers. In the ultrafilter membrane, particulate materials are mutually coupled together in its thickness and planar directions. The particulate materials comprise a protein.

Abstract: [Purpose] A purpose of this invention is to provide a robust and flexible free-standing ultrathin (nano) or thin pure protein membrane which enables a rapid and simple separation (or condensation) of relatively small (M.W.=ca. 1,000 Da) molecules. [Summary] A flexible free-standing ultrathin (nano) or thin protein membrane can be fabricated by a method comprising following steps: (1) A dilute metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) nitrate or chloride solution is kept under neutral or weak basic pH to spontaneously form metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands; (2) The above metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands and protein solution are mixed to obtain composite nanofibers made of protein and the said metal hydroxide nanostrands; (3) The obtained dispersion of composite nanofibers is filtered on a filter. (4) Proteins contained in the composite nanofibers are cross-linked by bifunctional cross-linkers; and (5) Metal (Cd, Cu or Zn) hydroxide nanostrands are removed from them.

Abstract: Amorphous metal oxide thin film is produced by removing through oxygen plasma treatment the organic component from an organics/metal oxide composite thin film having thoroughly dispersed therein such organic component at molecular scale. This ensures production of amorphous metal oxide thin film with low density and excellent thickness precision.

Abstract: [Purpose] A purpose of this invention is to provide a robust and flexible free-standing ultrathin (nano) or thin pure protein membrane which enables a rapid and simple separation (or condensation) of relatively small (M.W.=ca. 1,000 Da) molecules. [Summary] A porous free-standing protein membrane formed by cross-liked protein of this invention can be fabricated by a method comprising following steps: (1) a first step of mixing nanostructured materials and protein to obtain composite made of protein and nanostructured materials (for example metal hydroxide nanostrands); (2) a second step of forming a membranous body formed by said composite made of protein and nanostructured materials, and mutually cross-linking said protein by means of a cross-linker; and (3) a third step of dissolving and removing said nanostructured materials to produce a porous membrane.

Abstract: Exchangeable metal ions are removed from an amorphous composite metal oxide and different metal ions are introduced to manufacture a nanomaterial of composite metal oxide. Based on this method, it is possible to reliably form composite metal oxide nanomaterials over a wide range of compositions.

Abstract: Amorphous metal oxide thin film is produced by removing through oxygen plasma treatment the organic component from an organics/metal oxide composite thin film having thoroughly dispersed therein such organic component at molecular scale. This ensures production of amorphous metal oxide thin film with low density and excellent thickness precision.

Abstract: Exchangeable metal ions are removed from an amorphous composite metal oxide and different metal ions are introduced to manufacture a nanomaterial of composite metal oxide. Based on this method, it is possible to reliably form composite metal oxide nanomaterials over a wide range of compositions.

Abstract: Nano-wrapped molecular materials comprising molecule, molecular aggregate, or nanoparticle which has the surface at least partially covered with an ultrathin film containing oxygen-metal bond was disclosed. The nano-wrapped molecular materials successfully retain or are dramatically improved in the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of the individual molecules or nanoparticles.