Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for improving the selectivity of a membrane, specifically of a membrane comprising a blend of i) a polysulfone, polyethersulfone or polyarylethersulfone and ii) polyvinylpyrrolidone, characterized in that the membrane is coated with polydopamine and heparin in a one-step or two-step reaction or by in situ modification with polydopamine followed by coating with heparin. The disclosure further relates to a process for producing such modified membranes having an improved selectivity, and to a filtration/diffusion device comprising the membrane which can be used, for example, in hemodialysis applications.

Abstract: A process for the additive manufacturing of porous gas-permeable shaped articles by selective laser sintering of a polymer powder may include a) Providing a layer of polymer powder within an construction space; b) Heating a polymer layer to a temperature greater than or equal to 0.5° C. and less than or equal to 2.5° C. below the melting point of the polymer powder; c) Spatially resolved melting of a powder bed by means of the introduction of laser energy; wherein steps a-c) are carried out one or more times in the same construction space on consecutively superimposed powder layers and the surface energy contribution to be introduced in process step c) is greater than or equal to 1.7 times and less than or equal to 4.25 times the product of the melting enthalpy, polymer powder filling density and layer thickness of the powder filling.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an anticoagulant-coated microporous hollow fiber membrane showing reduced thrombogenicity. The disclosure further relates to a method for producing the membrane and a filtration and/or diffusion device comprising the membrane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) particles at least comprising the steps: a) providing a mixture comprising poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polystyrene sulfonate in a solvent at least comprising water; b) forming one or more PEDOT:PSS droplets by introducing the mixture from process step a) into an organic solvent A, wherein the aqueous PEDOT:PSS mixture forms the droplet interior and the organic solvent A forms the droplet exterior; c) contacting the PEDOT:PSS droplets obtained from process step b) with a coagulating solution comprising a curing agent and at least one further solvent B, the density of the coagulating solution being greater than the density of the organic solvent A and less than the density of the aqueous poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) and polystyrene sulfonate mixture; with curing of the PEDOT:PSS droplets to PEDOT:PSS particles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) membrane having a predetermined porosity via salt dilution induced phase separation, in which a liquid polymer solution (P) containing polyanions (A) and polycations (C) dissolved in an aqueous medium at an overcritical salt concentration is exposed to an aqueous medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a gassing unit for bubble-free introduction of a process gas into a liquid located in a reactor, wherein the gassing unit comprises at least: a first gas receiving chamber and, spaced therefrom, a second gas receiving chamber for receiving a process gas, the two gas receiving chambers being connected to one another via at least two two-dimensional, gas-conducting diffusion membranes comprising hollow fibers spaced apart from one another and at least partially fixed to one another; a receptacle for a gas supply on at least one of the gas receiving chambers; a receptacle for a shaft on at least one of the gas receiving chambers; wherein the gassing unit for gassing the liquid in the reactor can be supplied with process gas via the gas supply receptacle, can be set into a rotational movement via the receptacle for the shaft and can form a convection flow within the reactor via the rotational movement of the gassing unit in the liquid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single module, flow-electrode apparatus for continuous water desalination, ion separation and selective ion removal and concentration by capacitive deionization, comprising: a first current collector (1), a first compartment (1?) for a flow electrode, a first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a first liquid-permeable channel (6a) next to the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM) with a fixed charge opposite to that of the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the first liquid-permeable channel (6a), a second liquid-permeable channel (6b) next to the second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM), a third ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) having the same fixed charge as the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the second liquid-permeable channel (6b), a second compartment (2?) for a flow electrode, and a second current collector (2), wherein a fluid (4) containing suspended conductive particles or a mixture of conductive

Abstract: A filter device (10), in particular for a tangential flow filtration device, has at least one fluid inlet (22), at least one retentate outlet (24) and at least one permeate outlet (26). The filter device (10) further has at least one membrane (16) which separates a retentate section (18) from a permeate section (20) in the filter device (10). Arranged in the retentate section (18) and/or in the permeate section (20) is at least one flow fitting (28) which is not formed from a woven or non-woven fabric, but from a structured plastic part, silicone part, metal part or ceramic part.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a single module, flow-electrode apparatus for continuous water desalination, ion separation and selective ion removal and concentration by capacitive deionization, comprising: a first current collector (1), a first compartment (1?) for a flow electrode, a first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a first liquid-permeable channel (6a) next to the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM), a second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM) with a fixed charge opposite to that of the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the first liquid-permeable channel (6a), a second liquid-permeable channel (6b) next to the second ion exchange membrane (CEM, AEM), a third ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) having the same fixed charge as the first ion exchange membrane (AEM, CEM) next to the second liquid-permeable channel (6b), a second compartment (2?) for a flow electrode, and a second current collector (2), wherein a fluid (4) containing suspended conductive particles or a mixture of conductive

Abstract: The present invention relates to microtubes made of carbon nanotubes or composites based on carbon nanotubes. The present invention also relates to the use of such microtubes made of carbon nanotubes or composites based of carbon nanotubes as stand alone electrodes electrodes or integrated with current collectors or as a part of membrane electrode assemblies applied in electrochemical systems such as primary and secondary batteries, redox flow batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical capacitors, capacitive deionization systems, electrochemical- and biosensors devices, or solar cells. Another use of the microtubes made of carbon nanotubes or composites based on carbon nanotubes relates to their application as supported or unsupported tubular membranes for water or wastewater filtration, in aqueous and organic solvent filtration, for blood filtration, for gas separation processes, in gas and liquid adsorption processes or in sensor applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an oxygen-vanadium redox flow battery with vanadium electrolyte having carbon particles dispersed therein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a hollow fibre membrane having a supporting layer and a separating layer, said process comprising: (a) extruding a spinning composition comprising a first polymer and a solvent for the first polymer through an inner annular orifice of a hollow-fibre die; (b) co-extruding a composition comprising an organic nucleophilic reagent and a mixtures of a solvent and a non-solvent for the first polymer, wherein the composition is either extruded through a central annular orifice of the hollow-fibre die or through an outer annular orifice of a hollow-fibre die; and (c) passing the hollow-fibre through a coagulation bath. The hollow fibre membrane according to the present invention can be used in gas separation processes, vapour separation processes and liquid filtration processes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electro-catalyst M?aIrbMc, wherein M? is selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ta and Ru, and wherein the molar ratio a:b is within the range of 85:15 to 50:50 and the molar ratio a:c is within the range of 50:50 to 95:5, both calculated as pure metal and wherein M is selected from metals from Groups 3-15 of the Periodic System of Elements. The present invention further relates to an electrode comprising a support and the electro-catalyst. The present invention further relates to the use of the electro-catalyst and/or the electrode in electrochemical processes which comprise an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), an oxygen evolution reaction (OER), a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR), a carbon monoxide oxidation reaction (COR) or a methanol oxidation reaction (MOR).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a hollow fibre membrane having a supporting layer and a separating layer, said process comprising: (a) extruding a spinning composition comprising a first polymer and a solvent for the first polymer through an inner annular orifice of a hollow-fibre die; (b) co-extruding a composition comprising an organic nucleophilic reagent and a mixtures of a solvent and a non-solvent for the first polymer, wherein the composition is either extruded through a central annular orifice of the hollow-fibre die or through an outer annular orifice of a hollow-fibre die; and (c) passing the hollow-fibre through a coagulation bath. The hollow fibre membrane according to the present invention can be used in gas separation processes, vapour separation processes and liquid filtration processes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the preparation of porous polymeric fibres comprising functionalized or active particles. By extruding a mixture of one or more dissolved polymers with particulate material a porous fibre is obtained in which the particulate material is entrapped. Extrusion of the fibre occurs under two-step phase inversion conditions. In particular the porous fibres can be used for the isolation of macromolecules such as peptides, proteins, nucleic acids or other organic compounds from complex reaction mixtures, in particular from fermentation broths. Another application is the immobilization of a catalyst in a reaction mixture.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a high throughput screening method for analyzing and interaction between a surface of a material and an environment. The screening method of the invention comprises: providing a micro-array comprising said material and having a multitude of units at least part of which have different topography; contacting at least part of said multitude of units with said environment; and screening said micro-array for an interaction between one or more of said units and said environment.

Abstract: A method for producing an ion-permeable membrane which has at least one profiled surface includes contacting a shaping element with an uncured polymer film which contains at least one polymer, impressing the shaping element onto the polymer film and generating a regular pattern of identically or differently structured elevations and/or recesses on the polymer film.

Abstract: The membrane producible by shaping a polymer blend or a block copolymer comprising blocks of monomer units, loading the polymer blend or block copolymer with a blowing gas concentration within the polymer blend or block polymer above a critical concentration at a temperature below a critical temperature, but above the glass transition temperature of the polymer blend/gas or block copolymer/gas mixture and finally stabilizing the foam structure is characterized in that as polymer blend a homogeneous polymer blend comprising at least one hydrophilic and at least one hydrophobic polymer and/or a block copolymer of alternating blocks of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomer units is used, both the polymer blend and the block copolymer having a solubility relating to the used foaming gas above the critical concentration. The said membrane is used for medical purposes, especially for the haemodialysis, haemofiltration, haemodiafiltration, plasmapherese, immunotherapy, micro- or ultrafiltration or gas separation.

Abstract: A method of filtering a fluid wherein after filtering a contaminated fluid, which causes the formation of a filter cake, a substantially non-contaminated fluid is fed through the filter cake and filter at varying flux or at varying driving force. At the same time the necessary driving force or the obtained flux, respectively, are measured. The measured value and the respective value setting are compared with at least one standard set of data and on the basis of this comparison the fouling status of the fluid to be filtered, the filter and the filter cake is determined. The method makes it possible to accurately determine characteristics of a fluid to be filtered. This may be realized by simply varying the flux and measuring the driving force at different flux values, or vice versa.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymer compositions comprising a (co)polymer comprising (a) an arylene oxide moiety and (b) a dendritic (co)polymer, a hyperbranched (co)polymer or a mixture thereof, and the use of these polymer compositions as membrane materials for the separation of gases. The present invention further relates to the use of a dendritic (co)polymer, a hyperbranched (co)polymer or a mixture thereof as permeability and/or selectivity enhancing additives in gas separation membranes. The dendritic (co)polymer is preferably a Boltorn polymer.