In Form Of A Membrane Patents (Class 502/4)
  • Patent number: 11969692
    Abstract: A method of producing a separation membrane includes a seed crystal adhesion step of adhering zeolite seed crystals to a porous support formed of stainless steel to obtain a seed crystal-bearing support and a separation layer formation step of forming a porous separation layer formed of a zeolite on the seed crystal-bearing support. The stainless steel has a contact angle with water of 90° or more. The seed crystal adhesion step includes bringing the zeolite seed crystals and a solvent having a contact angle with the stainless steel of 30° or less into contact with the porous support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Suzuki, Shiori Omori
  • Patent number: 11939537
    Abstract: An improved reforming process for producing aromatic hydrocarbons is disclosed. The process includes two reformers arranged in parallel flow configuration, with the first reformer being a conventional reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C8+ hydrocarbons to a reformate and the second reformer comprising a catalyst selective for reforming C7? hydrocarbons to a reformate. In certain embodiments, the first reformer catalyst comprises a conventional alumina catalyst and the second reformer catalyst comprises a ZSM-5 catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Cong-Yan Chen, Emmanuel Behraz
  • Patent number: 11878267
    Abstract: M(SiF6)(pyz)3 (M=Cu, Zn, Co, or Ni) has a pore size between a size of H2 and a size of CO2, and thus exhibits prominent screening performance for H2/CO2. A strong interaction between Cu(SiF6)(bpy)2 and a CO2 molecule can hinder the transport of the CO2 molecule. The above two MOFs both can achieve the H2/CO2 separation. By preparing a dense MSiF6/polymer layer, MSiF6 is uniformly dispersed in the polymer and is fixed, and subsequently, MSiF6 is converted into M(SiF6)(pyz)3 or Cu(SiF6)(bpy)2 by interacting with an organic ligand. Through vapor-induced in-situ conversion, MOF particles can be well dispersed without interface defects between the MOF particles and the polymer. Even at a doping amount of 80%, the mechanical flexibility and stability of the MMM can still be retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: NANJING TECH UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Gongping Liu, Guining Chen, Wanqin Jin
  • Patent number: 11857930
    Abstract: Provided is a technique for continuously performing poor solvent crystallization or reactive crystallization. A porous membrane in which multiple pores through which a liquid passes are formed internally partitions the treatment container into a first flow space and a second flow space. A raw material liquid supply unit continuously supplies a raw material liquid to the first flow space. A treatment liquid supply unit continuously supplies a treatment liquid to the second flow space at a pressure at which the treatment liquid passes through the porous membrane and enters the first flow space. An extraction unit continuously extracts a mixed liquid of the raw material liquid and the treatment liquid from the first flow space. An aging unit precipitates and grows crystals of a target substance from a mixed liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: JGC Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawano, Naoki Tahara
  • Patent number: 11856945
    Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing and preserving biological samples are disclosed herein. A method comprises contacting a preserving agent with a biological sample to form a mixture, wherein the preserving agent is selected from at least one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) encapsulant or a precursor forming a MOF encapsulant, and wherein the biological sample comprises at least one target analyte. A system comprises a preserving agent selected from at least one of a metal-organic framework (MOF) encapsulant or a precursor forming a MOF encapsulant; and a substrate configured to receive a drop cast mixture of the preserving agent and a biological sample, wherein the biological sample comprises at least one target analyte.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Washington University
    Inventors: Srikanth Singamaneni, Congzhou Wang, Jeremiah J. Morrissey, Evan D. Kharasch
  • Patent number: 11814353
    Abstract: A separation method includes a separation step of using a zeolite membrane composite to separate a branched diolefin from a branched hydrocarbon mixture containing the branched diolefin and at least one branched hydrocarbon in which the number of carbon-carbon double bonds is 1 or less and that is of an equivalent carbon number n to the branched diolefin. The zeolite membrane composite used in this step is a zeolite membrane composite that includes a porous support and a FAU-type zeolite membrane formed on at least one surface of the porous support, and in which the FAU-type zeolite membrane is a silylated FAU-type zeolite membrane including a silyl group at the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ZEON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takahiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11786861
    Abstract: A low cost, high selectivity asymmetric polyimide/polyethersulfone (PES) blend hollow fiber membrane, a method of making the membrane and its use for a variety of liquid, gas, and vapor separations such as deep desulfurization of gasoline and diesel fuels, ethanol/water separations, pervaporation dehydration of aqueous/organic mixtures, CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, H2/CH4, He/CH4, O2/N2, H2S/CH4, olefin/paraffin, iso/normal paraffins separations, and other light gas mixture separations. The polyimide/PES blend hollow fiber membrane is fabricated from a blend of a polyimide polymer and PES and showed surprisingly unique gas separation property with higher selectivities than either the polyimide hollow fiber membrane without PES polymer or the PES hollow fiber membrane without PES polymer for gas separations such as for H2/CH4, He/CH4, H2S/CH4, CO2/CH4 separations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Chunqing Liu, Xueliang Dong, Jeremy Nolan Webb
  • Patent number: 11767600
    Abstract: A hydrogen production system comprising: a fuel source; a water source; and a hydrogen producer; where the fuel source and the water source are in fluid communication with the hydrogen producer; and where fuel enters the hydrogen producer from the fuel source and water enters the hydrogen producer from the water source and the fuel and the water do not come in contact with each other in the hydrogen producer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: Utility Global, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Dawson, Nicholas Farandos, Jin Dawson
  • Patent number: 11731086
    Abstract: Disclosed are a MWW/DDR type gas separation membrane comprising at least one MWW type zeolite and at least one DDR type zeolite and a method for preparing the same. One of the MWW type zeolite and the DDR type zeolite is disposed on the other thereof, wherein at least one of the MWW type zeolite and the DDR type zeolite is epitaxially grown. In the gas separation membrane, the DDR type zeolite is epitaxially grown from the MWW type zeolite, or the MWW type zeolite is epitaxially grown from the DDR type zeolite. Thus, the MWW/DDR type gas separation membrane is synthesized using a structural continuity of the MWW type zeolite and the DDR type zeolite. Thus, the gas separation membrane has excellent separation efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu Choi, Yanghwan Jeong
  • Patent number: 11633721
    Abstract: A multilayer supported oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) catalyst composition (support, first single oxide layer, one or more mixed oxide layers, optional second single oxide layer) characterized by formula AaZbEcDdOx/support; A is alkaline earth metal; Z is first rare earth element; E is second rare earth element; D is redox agent/third rare earth element; the first, second, third rare earth element are not the same; a=1.0; b=0.1-10.0; c=0.1-10.0; d=0-10.0; x balances oxidation states; first single oxide layer (Zb1Ox1, b1=0.1-10.0; x1 balances oxidation states) contacts support and one or more mixed oxide layers; one or more mixed oxide layers (Aa2Zb2Ec2Dd2Ox2, a2=1.0; b2=0.1-10.0; c2=0.1-10.0; d2=0-10.0; x2 balances oxidation states; AaZbEcDdOx and Aa2Zb2Ec2Dd2Ox2 are different) contacts first single oxide layer and optionally second single oxide layer, and second single oxide layer (AO), when present, contacts one or more mixed oxide layers and optionally first single oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Sabic Global Technologies, B.V.
    Inventors: Wugeng Liang, Luanyi Li, Hector Perez, Pankaj Gautam, David West
  • Patent number: 11554359
    Abstract: A method for producing a crystalline film comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on a porous substrate is described. The method has the steps of: providing a porous support; modifying at least a surface of the top-layer of said porous support by treatment with a composition having one or more cationic polymer(s); rendering at least the outer surface of said porous support hydrophobic by treatment with a composition having one or more hydrophobic agent(s); subjecting said treated porous support to a composition having zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals thereby depositing and attaching zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous support, and growing a crystalline film of zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous support and calcination. Crystalline films find use in a variety of fields such as in the production of membranes, catalysts etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: ZEOMEM SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Jonas Hedlund, Allan Holmgren, Liang Yu
  • Patent number: 11554348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a hierarchical porous zeolite membrane and an application thereof, comprising the following steps: a mesoporous structure-directing agent is added to limit the growth of zeolite crystals, and self-assembled in the crystallization process to generate a mesoporous structure. Based on a seed crystal induced secondary nucleation mechanism, this method can realize one-step hydrothermal synthesis of hierarchical porous zeolite membrane with the advantages of mild and controllable synthesis conditions, simple process, good repeatability, reduced energy consumption and cost savings. The hierarchical porous zeolite membrane prepared by the method has good cut-off performance, and the cut-off molecular weight is adjustable between 200 to 500,000 Da.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Xuehong Gu, Xun Yao, Li Peng
  • Patent number: 11471836
    Abstract: A repair method for a separation membrane including a step of applying a colloidal solution to a surface of a separation membrane formed on a support. The colloidal solution has a predetermined pH. In colloidal solution, repair material particles are dispersed in an aqueous solvent. The repair material particles have an electrical charge that is opposite to an electrical charge of the support at the predetermined pH.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinichiro Yamazaki, Takeshi Hagio, Kenichi Noda
  • Patent number: 11471874
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an ion selective separation membrane including: a metal organic framework layer formed on, in, and/or around a substrate, the metal organic framework having a crystal structure that includes a first surface and a second surface and includes ion transport channels formed between respective pore windows in the first surface and the second surface; first and second electrodes to apply a potential difference across the membrane; wherein the respective pore windows have a pore size that is less than the hydrated diameter of the ion for which the ion selective separation membrane is selective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignees: Monash University, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Oganisation, Board of Regents, The University of Texas System
    Inventors: Huanting Wang, Huacheng Zhang, Xingya Li, Jun Lu, Benny Freeman, Anita Joyce Hill
  • Patent number: 11406960
    Abstract: An adsorptive material for adsorption of a noble gas can include a mesoporous support material having a plurality of pores and a pattern of metal atoms deposited onto the mesoporous support material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: UCHICAGO ARGONNE, LLC
    Inventors: Abdellatif M. Yacout, Sumit Bhattacharya, Yinbin Miao
  • Patent number: 11329304
    Abstract: Intermittent energy sources, including solar and wind, require scalable, low-cost, multi-hour energy storage solutions to be effectively incorporated into the grid. Redox-flow batteries offer a solution, but suffer from rapid capacity fade and low Coulombic efficiency due to the high permeability of redox-active species across the battery's membrane. Here we show that active-species crossover can be arrested by scaling the membrane's pore size to molecular dimensions and in turn increasing the size of the active material to be above the membrane's pore-size exclusion limit. When oligomeric redox-active organic molecules were paired with microporous polymer membranes, the rate of active-material crossover was either completely blocked or slowed more than 9,000-fold compared to traditional separators at minimal cost to ionic conductivity. In the case of the latter, this corresponds to an absolute rate of ROM crossover of less than 3 ?mol cm?2 day?1 (for a 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignees: The Regents of the University of California, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
    Inventors: Brett A. Helms, Sean E. Doris, Ashleigh L. Ward, Peter D. Frischmann, Etienne Chenard, Nagarjuna Gavvalapalli, Jeffrey S. Moore
  • Patent number: 11292753
    Abstract: A method for converting an alcohol to a jet-diesel hydrocarbon fraction, comprising contacting the alcohol with a pillared two-dimensional zeolite catalyst at a temperature of at least 200° C. and up to 500° C. to convert the alcohol to hydrocarbons comprising: (a) a first mixed olefin fraction containing a mixture of C2-C5 olefins; (b) a first paraffin fraction containing C3-C5 paraffins; and (c) a gasoline fraction containing C6+ hydrocarbons; and the conversion of the alcohol is energy neutral or exothermic. The first mixed olefin fraction may be subjected to an oligomerization process to result in a second paraffin fraction containing C3-C6 paraffins along with a C7+ partially unsaturated fraction, and the first and second paraffin fractions combined into a total C3-C6 paraffin fraction, which can in turn be subjected to a dehydrogenation or aromatization process with hydrogen gas as byproduct, and the hydrogen gas recycled for use in producing the jet-diesel fraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventor: Zhenglong Li
  • Patent number: 11154823
    Abstract: A membrane comprising a crystalline material deposited on a porous support. The crystalline material is made of tectosilicate with a portion of the Si atoms substituted with metal atoms. The membrane is useful in the separation of oil and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: The Board of Regents for Oklahoma State University
    Inventors: Seokjhin Kim, Dave Lampert
  • Patent number: 11016359
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention, a hydrogen occlusion body includes: a hydrogen occlusion layer containing a material whose optical property reversibly changes upon hydrogenation and dehydrogenation; and a catalyst layer containing a palladium-ruthenium alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Yasusei Yamada, Kazuki Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 10994247
    Abstract: A process for producing a zeolite membrane composite includes a step of obtaining FAU-type seed crystals, a step of depositing the FAU-type seed crystals on a support, a step of forming an AFX-type zeolite membrane on the support by immersing the support in a raw material solution and growing an AFX-type zeolite from the FAU-type seed crystals by hydrothermal synthesis, and a step of removing a structure-directing agent from the AFX-type zeolite membrane. In this way, the AFX-type zeolite membrane can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Miyahara, Kenichi Noda
  • Patent number: 10913036
    Abstract: Co-polyimide membranes for separating components of sour natural gas where embodiments can include at least three distinct moieties polymerized together, the moieties including a 2,2?-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane dianhydride (6FDA) based moiety; a 9,9-bis(4-aminophenyl) fluorene (CARDO) based moiety; and 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (durene diamine) based moiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Garba Oloriegbe Yahaya, Ilham Mokhtari, Ahmad A. Bahamdan
  • Patent number: 10822244
    Abstract: A method for synthesizing a nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve, and an SAPO-34 molecular sieve catalyst and application thereof. A nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve is synthesized by adding a microporous templating agent and a templating agent having a functionalized organic silane to hydrothermal synthesis. The nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve is calcined to obtain a nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve catalyst. The catalyst can be used in a reaction for preparing low-carbon olefin from an oxygen-containing compound. The nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve obtained by this method has a pure CHA crystal phase. Moreover, the nano SAPO-34 molecular sieve catalyst obtained by this method has good catalytic performance in a MTO reaction, the service life of the catalyst is significantly prolonged, and the selectivity of the low-carbon olefin is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: DALIAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    Inventors: Pengfei Wu, Miao Yang, Peng Tian, Zhongmin Liu, Linying Wang, Lin Liu
  • Patent number: 10710029
    Abstract: A method of preparing a hybrid membrane, the method including: evenly mixing a granular material and a dispersant, to yield a dispersion solution; evenly mixing a polymer and an organic solvent, to yield a matrix solution; adding the matrix solution to the dispersion solution to yield a mixed solution; heating the mixed solution to remove the dispersant, to yield a casting solution; and coating the casting solution on a substrate, followed by removal of the organic solvent, to yield a hybrid membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Weiming Zhang, Yi Ren, Bingcai Pan, Ming Hua, Lu Lv
  • Patent number: 10682626
    Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a crystalline film comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on a porous substrate The method includes the steps of: a) providing a porous substrate, b) rendering at least a part of said porous substrate hydrophobic by treatment with a composition comprising one or more hydrophobic agent(s), d) subjecting said treated porous substrate to a composition comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals thereby depositing and attaching zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous substrate, and e) growing a crystalline film comprising zeolite and/or zeolite-like crystals on said treated porous substrate obtained in step d). Crystalline films find use in a variety of fields such as in the production of membranes, catalysts etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: ZeoMem Sweden AB
    Inventors: Jonas Hedlund, Allan Holmgren, Linda Sandström
  • Patent number: 10625215
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a zeolite membrane structure includes a step of forming a first zeolite membrane on a porous support by hydrothermal synthesis in a state in which the porous support is immersed in a first zeolite membrane formation solution, a step of immersing the porous support formed the first zeolite membrane for greater than or equal to 5 minutes in a second zeolite membrane formation solution at greater than or equal to 10 degrees C. and less than or equal to 70 degrees C. and greater than or equal to pH 10, and a step of forming a second zeolite membrane on the first zeolite membrane by hydrothermal synthesis in a state in which the porous support formed the first zeolite membrane is immersed in the second zeolite membrane formation solution. The first zeolite membrane and the second zeolite membrane share at least one composite building unit constituting a framework structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Noda, Takeshi Hagio, Makoto Miyahara
  • Patent number: 10589231
    Abstract: Stabilized surfactant-based membranes and methods of manufacture thereof. Membranes comprising a stabilized surfactant mesostructure on a porous support may be used for various separations, including reverse osmosis and forward osmosis. The membranes are stabilized after evaporation of solvents; in some embodiments no removal of the surfactant is required. The surfactant solution may or may not comprise a hydrophilic compound such as an acid or base. The surface of the porous support is preferably modified prior to formation of the stabilized surfactant mesostructure. The membrane is sufficiently stable to be utilized in commercial separations devices such as spiral wound modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: ZNANO LLC
    Inventor: Adrian Brozell
  • Patent number: 10441939
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for treating a surface of a filled microporous membrane. The microporous membrane includes a polyolefinic matrix, inorganic filler distributed throughout the matrix, and a network of interconnecting pores throughout the membrane. The method includes sequentially (1) contacting the membrane with a first treatment composition comprising an epoxy-silane which is in intimate contact with the inorganic filler; (2) subjecting the membrane of (1) to conditions sufficient to effect a first reaction between the inorganic filler and the silane groups of the epoxy-silane compound; (3) contacting the membrane of (2) with a second treatment composition comprising polyalkylene polyamine, an amine functional polysaccharide and/or an amino silane; and (4) subjecting the membrane of (3) to conditions sufficient to effect a second reaction. Treated membranes also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Qunhui Guo, Luciano M. Parrinello, James C. Peters
  • Patent number: 10384170
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a separation membrane structure comprising a step of forming a first to nth zeolite membranes on a surface of a porous substrate by “n” repetitions (wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to 2) of formation of a zeolite membrane by a method of hydrothermal synthesis. The following formula (1) is established in relation to the step of forming the first to the nth zeolite membranes. (Formula 1) N1/N0+0.1?T2˜n/T1?2N1/N0+2 (Wherein, N1 denotes a permeation rate of a predetermined gas in the substrate after formation of the first zeolite membrane, N0 denotes a permeation rate of a predetermined gas in the substrate before formation of the first zeolite membrane, T1 is a time required for formation of the first zeolite membrane, and T2˜n is a total time required for formation of the second to the nth zeolite membranes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryujiro Nagasaka, Shinji Nakamura
  • Patent number: 10381673
    Abstract: A solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrolyte composition includes zirconia stabilized with scandia, and at least one of magnesia, zinc oxide, indium oxide, and gallium oxide, and optionally ceria in addition to the oxides above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: David N. Miller, Cristian Savaniu, John T S Irvine, Tad Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10369528
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a porous support-zeolite membrane composite ensuring that at the time of separation or concentration with a zeolite membrane, both sufficient throughput and high separation performance are achieved in practice and the present invention relates to a porous support-zeolite membrane composite having a porous support and a zeolite membrane formed on the porous support, wherein part of the zeolite membrane penetrates into the inside of the porous support and the distance from the surface of the porous support to the inside into which the zeolite film penetrates is 5.0 ?m or less on average.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ayuko Onozuka, Miki Yamada, Mikio Hayashi, Takahiko Takewaki
  • Patent number: 10265660
    Abstract: Zeolite membrane sheets for separation of mixtures containing water are provided, as well as methods for making the same. Thin, but robust, zeolite membrane sheets having an inter-grown zeolite crystal film directly on a thin, less than 200 micron thick, porous support sheet free of any surface pores with a size above 10 microns. The zeolite membrane film thickness is less than about 10 microns above the support surface and less than about 5 microns below the support surface. Methods of preparing the membrane are disclosed which include coating of the support sheet surface with a seed coating solution containing the parent zeolite crystals with mean particle sizes from about 0.5 to 2.0 microns at loading of 0.05-0.5 mg/cm2 and subsequent growth of the seeded sheet in a growth reactor loaded with a growth solution over a temperature range of about 45° C. to about 120° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Battelle Memorial Institute
    Inventor: Wei Liu
  • Patent number: 9981852
    Abstract: Provided is a selective sonication-assisted deposition method of inorganic particles and CHA zeolite membranes grown from seeded uniform layers on substrates using the method and plate-like Si-CHA zeolite particles used for seed layer formation and manufacturing method of the same, in which thin inorganic particles may be selectively deposited on a substrate or on a support, and even a physical interaction between the deposited particles and supports (or substrates) alone allows for obtaining high surface coverage to form a uniform layer, which is critical in reproducible production of membranes of inorganic materials, such as zeolite, by secondary growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu Choi, Eunjoo Kim, Wanxi Cai
  • Patent number: 9649601
    Abstract: This invention presents a metal-doped zeolite membrane-based apparatus containing molecular sieving zeolite thin film on the seeded porous substrate. The metal-doped zeolite membrane exhibits high selectivity to olefin over paraffins. The membrane is synthesized by seed coating and secondary growth method, followed by metal doping and post treatment processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: BETTERGY CORP.
    Inventors: Zhong Tang, Lin-Feng Li
  • Patent number: 9415351
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a reverse osmosis membrane including: a porous support; and a polyamide active layer formed on the porous support and including zeolite, surface-treated with a compound having at least one functional group selected from a group consisting of an amino group and a glycidyl group, and a method of manufacturing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignees: LG CHEM, LTD., KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH & BUSINESS FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Young-Ju Lee, Jong-Sung Yu, Jae-Hong Kim, Chong-Kyu Shin, Yun-Kyung Kim
  • Patent number: 9325023
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, in which the glass transition temperature of an electrolyte membrane is reduced using a hydrophilic solvent, and a membrane-electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell, manufactured by the method. In the method of the invention, the glass transition temperature of the electrolyte membrane to which a catalyst is transferred is reduced compared to that in a conventional method for manufacturing a membrane-electrode assembly for a polymer electrolyte fuel cell using the decal process. Thus, even to an electrolyte membrane material having a relatively high glass transition temperature, the catalyst may be transferred at a rate of 100% at a temperature of about 120° C., at which hot pressing is carried out. Thus, the problems associated with electrolyte membrane deterioration occurring in conventional methods can be solved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology
    Inventors: Young Taik Hong, Tae Ho Kim, Young Jun Yoon, Kyung Seok Yoon, Duk Man Yu
  • Patent number: 9200010
    Abstract: The invention describes a crystallized hybrid solid with an organic-inorganic matrix, of a three-dimensional structure, containing an inorganic network of indium-based metal centers that are connected to one another by organic ligands that consist of the entity —O2C—C6H3—N3—CO2—. Said solid is called IHM-2-N3 and has an X-ray diffraction diagram as given below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignees: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES, CNRS
    Inventors: Marie Savonnet, David Farrusseng, Catherine Pinel, Delphine Bazer-Bachi, Nicolas Bats, Vincent Lecocq
  • Patent number: 9180413
    Abstract: A method for making a pentasil zeolite material includes forming an aqueous solution that includes a structure directing agent and a silica precursor; and heating the solution at a sufficient temperature and for sufficient time to form a pentasil zeolite material from the silica precursor, wherein the structure directing agent includes a quaternary phosphonium ion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Michael Tsapatsis, Xueyi Zhang
  • Patent number: 9163036
    Abstract: The invention describes a crystallized hybrid solid with an organic-inorganic matrix, of a three-dimensional structure, containing an inorganic network of aluminum-based metal centers that are connected to one another by organic ligands that consist of the entity —O2C—C6H3—N3—CO2—. Said solid is called MIL-53-Al—N3 and has an X-ray diffraction diagram as given below.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignees: CNRS, IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Marie Savonnet, David Farrusseng, Catherine Pinel, Delphine Bazer-Bachi, Nicolas Bats, Vincent Lecocq
  • Patent number: 9000122
    Abstract: The present invention is for aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide) membranes and methods for making and using these membranes for gas, vapor, and liquid separations. The membranes may be fabricated into any known membrane configuration including a flat sheet or hollow fiber. An embodiment of the present invention is for aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide) polymers, aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide) membranes and UV cross-linked aromatic poly(ether sulfone imide) membranes made from these polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Zhixue Zhu, Chunqing Liu
  • Patent number: 8980213
    Abstract: A manganese oxide contains M1, optionally M2, Mn and O. M1 is selected from the group consisting of In, Sc, Y, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. M2 is different from M1, and M2 is selected from the group consisting of Bi, In, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. These ceramic materials are hexagonal in structure, and provide superior materials for gas separation and oxygen storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Northern Illinois University
    Inventors: Bogdan Dabrowski, Steven Remsen
  • Publication number: 20150056109
    Abstract: The disclosure provides conductive membranes for water splitting and solar fuel generation. The membranes comprise an embedded semiconductive/photoactive material and an oxygen or hydrogen evolution catalyst. Also provided are chassis and cassettes containing the membranes for use in fuel generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: California Institute of Technology
  • Publication number: 20150044130
    Abstract: The present invention discloses composite inorganic membranes, methods for making the same, and methods of separating gases, vapors, and liquids using the same. The composite zeolite membrane is prepared by TS-1 zeolite membrane synthesis, and subsequent palladium doping. In the composite zeolite membrane synthesis, two different methods can be employed, including in-situ crystallization of one or more layers of zeolite crystals an a porous membrane substrate, and a second growth method by in-situ crystallization of a continuous second layer of zeolite crystals on a seed layer of MFI zeolite crystals supported on a porous membrane substrate. The membranes in the form of disks, tubes, or hollow fibers have high gas selectivity over other small gases, very good impurity resistance, and excellent thermal and chemical stability over polymer membranes and other inorganic membranes for gas, vapor, and liquid, separations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: ZHONG TANG, LIN-FENG LI, HONGMIN JIANG
  • Patent number: 8912288
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a new type of polyimide membrane with high permeances and high selectivities for gas separations and particularly for CO2/CH4 and H2/CH4 separations. The polyimide membranes have CO2 permeability of 50 Barrers or higher and single-gas selectivity for CO2/CH4 of 15 or higher at 50° C. under 791 kPa for CO2/CH4 separation. The polyimide membranes have UV cross-linkable functional groups and can be used for the preparation of UV cross-linked polyimide membranes having CO2 permeability of 20 Barrers or higher and single-gas selectivity for CO2/CH4 of 35 or higher at 50° C. under 791 kPa for CO2/CH4 separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Chunqing Liu, Travis C. Bowen, Emily G. Harbert, Raisa Minkov, Syed A. Faheem, Zara Osman
  • Patent number: 8894944
    Abstract: The present invention provides a membrane, comprising in this order a first catalyst layer, an electronically and ionically conducting layer having a nanosized microstructure, and a second catalyst layer, characterized in that the electronically and ionically conducting layer is formed from an electrolyte material, a grain growth inhibitor and/or grain boundary modifier, and a method for producing same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Technical University of Denmark
    Inventors: Peter Halvor Larsen, Søren Linderoth
  • Publication number: 20140315709
    Abstract: Provided is a selective sonication-assisted deposition method of inorganic particles and CHA zeolite membranes grown from seeded uniform layers on substrates using the method and plate-like Si-CHA zeolite particles used for seed layer formation and manufacturing method of the same, in which thin inorganic particles may be selectively deposited on a substrate or on a support, and even a physical interaction between the deposited particles and supports (or substrates) alone allows for obtaining high surface coverage to form a uniform layer, which is critical in reproducible production of membranes of inorganic materials, such as zeolite, by secondary growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: Korea University Research and Business Foundation
    Inventors: Jungkyu CHOI, Eunjoo KIM, Wanxi CAI
  • Publication number: 20140273158
    Abstract: Disclosed are composite materials and methods of using them for chromatography. The composite materials retain their performance characteristics, such as binding capacity, flux, or percent recovery, under caustic conditions (e.g., 1 M NaOH for 24 h). In certain embodiments, the composite materials or membranes comprise a support member, comprising a plurality of pores extending through the support member; and a cross-linked gel. Importantly, the cross-linker and the monomer do not contain backbone ester linkages. The composite materials may be used in the separation or purification of a biological molecule or biological ion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Natrix Separations Inc.
    Inventor: Amro Ragheb
  • Patent number: 8821616
    Abstract: DDR nanocrystals were synthesized using hydrothermal secondary growth. The morphology of the nanoparticles can be manipulated by changing the ratio of silica to water, the synthesis temperature, and the mineralizing agents. Specifically, nanocrystals with morphology of hexagonal plates, octahedral, and diamond-like plates are disclosed. These nanoparticles can be used as seed coatings for DDR membrane growth on substrates, and for the fabrication of mixed matrix membranes, and for any other use where uniform, small DDR zeolite crystals are beneficial.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Zhengzhi Zhou, Sankar Nair
  • Publication number: 20140234942
    Abstract: A solid substrate for the extraction, stabilization, and storage of proteins is provided. The substrate includes: a polysaccharide, such as melezitose under a substantially dry state. The substrate is configured to extract proteins from a sample and stabilize the extracted proteins in a dry format under ambient conditions for a prolonged period of time. Methods for collecting and recovering the proteins stored in the dry solid substrate are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ernest William Kovacs, Erik Leeming Kvam, Bing Li, Frank John Mondello
  • Patent number: 8791037
    Abstract: A method of making ceramic membranes, and the ceramic membranes so formed, comprising combining a ceramic precursor with an organic or inorganic comonomer, forming the combination as a thin film on a substrate, photopolymerizing the thin film, and pyrolyzing the photopolymerized thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: U.S. Department of Energy
    Inventors: Kathryn A. Berchtold, Jennifer S. Young
  • Patent number: 8778056
    Abstract: There are provided a process for producing a zeolite membrane which, even when large, has few defects and which has higher separation performance than conventional zeolite membranes, and a zeolite membrane obtained by the process. In the process, the structure-directing agent is removed in the atmosphere having an O2 concentration of 22.0 vol % or more. Specifically, the process includes: a particle adhesion step of allowing zeolite particles functioning as seeds to flow down the surface of the substrate by means of the weight of the slurry itself, thereby adhering to the substrate and a membrane-forming step of forming a zeolite membrane on the substrate by immersing the substrate having the zeolite particles adhering thereto in sol containing the structure-directing agent for hydrothermal synthesis, thereby forming a zeolite membrane on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Uchikawa, Kenji Yajima, Makiko Niino