# US 10,118,134 B2 · Synthetic membranes and methods of use thereof

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- Number: US 10,118,134 B2
- Document ID: US10118134B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/593,675
- Filed: 2017-05-12
- Published: 2017-11-02
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-14
- Assignees: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Applicants: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Inventors: Georges Belfort; Joseph Grimaldi; Joseph Imbrogno; James Kilduff; John Joseph Keating, IV
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118134B2

## CPC

- B01D 69/125: {In situ manufacturing by polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or chemical reaction}
- B01D 53/228: {characterised by specific membranes}
- B01D 61/025: {Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration}
- B01D 61/362: {Pervaporation}
- B01D 67/0006: {by chemical reactions (in-situ polymerisation, polycondensation, cross-linking or reaction for manufacturing composite membranes B01D69/125)}
- B01D 67/0093: {Chemical modification}
- B01D 69/02: characterised by their properties
- B01D 69/107: {Organic support material}
- B01D 69/12: Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
- B01D 71/28: Polymers of vinyl aromatic compounds
- B01D 71/40: Polymers of unsaturated acids or derivatives thereof, e.g. salts, amides, imides, nitriles, anhydrides, esters
- B01D 71/521: {Aliphatic polyethers}
- B01D 71/68: Polysulfones; Polyethersulfones
- B01D 71/78: Graft polymers
- C02F 1/441: {by reverse osmosis}
- C07C 29/86: by liquid-liquid treatment
- B01D 61/02: Reverse osmosis; Hyperfiltration {; Nanofiltration}
- B01D 2257/708: Volatile organic compounds V.O.C.'s
- B01D 2323/08: Specific temperatures applied
- B01D 2323/34: Use of radiation
- B01D 2323/345: UV-treatment
- B01D 2323/38: Graft polymerization
- B01D 2323/385: involving radiation
- B01D 2325/02832: 1-10 nm
- B01D 2325/26: Electrical properties
- B01D 2325/38: Hydrophobic membranes
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

The present invention relates to synthetic membranes and use of these synthetic membranes for isolation of volatile organic compounds and purification of water. The synthetic membrane includes a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer. The invention includes a method of isolating volatile organic compounds with the synthetic membrane by contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation. The invention also includes a method of purifying water with the synthetic membrane by contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane and removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis. The invention also relates to methods of isolating non-polar gases by gas fractionation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of isolating volatile organic compounds with a synthetic membrane, the synthetic membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer, wherein the hydrophobic polymer layer comprises a plurality of polymer units covalently bonded to the polymeric membrane support layer, wherein each polymer unit comprises a polymerized plurality of vinyl monomers, the method comprising:
contacting a volatile organic mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane, the a volatile organic mixture comprising water and volatile organic compounds; and
removing volatile organic compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of pervaporation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer is a light sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer is a light sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer, wherein the synthetic membrane is prepared by a method comprising:
irradiating a surface of the light-sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer; and
contacting a monomer solution with the surface of the light-sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer, the monomer solution comprising vinyl monomers and a solvent.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the volatile organic compounds are alcohols.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the volatile organic compounds are selected from the group consisting of isobutanol, isobutyraldehyde, ketoisovaleric acid, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, formate, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer has a pore size of from about 1 nm to about 10 nm.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vinyl monomers are C1-20 alkyl methacrylate monomers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the vinyl monomers are C18 alkyl methacrylate monomers.

### Claim 9

A method of purifying water with a synthetic membrane, the synthetic membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer, wherein the hydrophobic polymer layer comprises a plurality of polymer units covalently bonded to the polymeric membrane support layer, wherein each polymer unit comprises a polymerized plurality of vinyl monomers, the method comprising:
contacting an ionic solution with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane, the ionic solution comprising water and inorganic ions; and
removing water from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of reverse osmosis.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer is a light sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer is a light sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer, wherein the synthetic membrane is prepared by a method comprising:
irradiating a surface of the light-sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support; and
contacting a monomer solution with the surface of the light-sensitive poly(ether sulfone) membrane support layer, the monomer solution comprising vinyl monomers and a solvent.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the ionic solution is a seawater.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the ionic solution is a brackish water.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the inorganic ions are selected from the group consisting of chloride, sodium, sulfate, magnesium, calcium, potassium, bicarbonate, strontium, bromide, borate, fluoride, boron, silicate, iodide, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the polymeric membrane support layer has a pore size of from about 1 nm to about 10 nm.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the vinyl monomers are C1-20 alkyl methacrylate monomers.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the vinyl monomers are C6 alkyl methacrylate monomers.

### Claim 18

A method of isolating non-polar gas compounds with a synthetic membrane, the synthetic membrane comprising a hydrophobic polymer layer located on a polymeric membrane support layer, wherein the hydrophobic polymer layer comprises a plurality of polymer units covalently bonded to the polymeric membrane support layer, wherein each polymer unit comprises a polymerized plurality of vinyl monomers, the method comprising:
contacting a gas mixture with the hydrophobic polymer layer of the synthetic membrane, the gas mixture comprising polar gas compounds and non-polar gas compounds; and
removing non-polar gas compounds from the polymeric membrane support layer of the synthetic membrane by a process of gas fractionation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the non-polar gas compounds are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, helium, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene, one or more C1-12 alkanes, one or more noble gases, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the polar gas compounds are selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, and mixtures thereof.