Free-standing liquid membranes for substance separation, filtration, extraction, and blockage
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsTak-Sing Wong, Birgitt Boschitsch
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Abstract
A free standing liquid membrane is disclosed that can selectively separate objects based on the kinetic energy value of the objects such that either an object having a first kinetic energy value can pass through the free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and/or an object having a second kinetic energy value is prevented from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane. Advantageously, the free standing liquid membrane can remain intact for seconds to hours with multiple objects passing through the membrane.
Claims17
A method of selectively separating objects, the method comprising:
- passing at least one first object having a first kinetic energy value through a free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and also preventing at least one second object having a second kinetic energy value from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane;
- wherein the first kinetic energy value is greater than the second kinetic energy value;
- and
- wherein the free-standing liquid membrane comprises at least one liquid and at least one surfactant;
- and
- wherein the at least one second object includes at least one virus, germ, dust, or insect.
A method of selectively separating objects, the method comprising:
- passing at least one first object having a first kinetic energy value through a free standing liquid membrane while retaining the membrane and also preventing at least one second object having a second kinetic energy value from passing through the membrane while retaining the membrane;
- wherein the first kinetic energy value is greater than the second kinetic energy value;
- and
- wherein the free-standing liquid membrane comprises at least one liquid and at least one surfactant;
- and the method also comprising:
- replenishing the at least one liquid and at least one surfactant of the free standing liquid membrane.
A free-standing liquid membrane comprising at least one liquid and at least one surfactant wherein the free standing liquid membrane is self-healing so that the liquid membrane remains intact for at least 5 minutes with at least 10 perturbations;
- the free-standing liquid membrane also comprising:
- at least one additive, the at least one additive including at least one antiseptic.
A free-standing liquid membrane comprising at least one liquid and at least one surfactant wherein the free standing liquid membrane is self-healing so that the liquid membrane remains intact for at least 5 minutes with at least 10 perturbations;
- and
- wherein the liquid membrane has a surface tension that is greater than 35 mN/m and less than 72.1 mN/m.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.