Filtration membranes with nanoscale patterns

A patterned membrane for fluid transfer, comprising:

• a base membrane having a first surface and a second surface counterfacing the first surface, the base membrane being permeable,
• a pattern that covers a working area of the first surface, the pattern having been formed by a permeable material that is compatible with the base membrane, the pattern forming features with a periodicity and an amplitude that does not exceed 1micrometer in size,
• wherein the patterned membrane remains permeable to a solvent fluid that is transported through the patterned membrane, and
• wherein the patterned membrane obstructs, at the first surface, a mass transfer through the patterned membrane of at least surface-accumulative solutes and insoluble particles.

A method filtering a component from a solution, comprising:

• passing the solution comprising the component through a patterned membrane that includes:
• a base membrane having a first surface and a second surface counterfacing the first surface, the base membrane being permeable,
• a pattern that covers a working area of the first surface, the pattern having been formed by imprinting the base membrane with features with a periodicity and an amplitude that does not exceed 1 micrometer in size,
• wherein the base membrane remains permeable and the features of the pattern are permeable to a solvent fluid that is transported through the patterned membrane, and
• wherein the patterned membrane obstructs, at the first surface, a mass transfer through the patterned membrane of at least surface-accumulative solutes and insoluble particles.

A method filtering a component from a solution, comprising:

• passing the solution comprising the component through a patterned membrane that includes:
• a base membrane having a first surface and a second surface counterfacing the first surface, the base membrane being permeable,
• a pattern that covers a working area of the first surface, the pattern having been formed by a permeable material that is compatible with the base membrane, the pattern forming features with a periodicity and an amplitude that does not exceed 1 micrometer in size,
• wherein the patterned membrane remains permeable to a solvent fluid that is transported through the patterned membrane, and
• wherein the patterned membrane obstructs, at the first surface, a mass transfer through the patterned membrane of at least surface-accumulative solutes and insoluble particles.