# US 11,027,240 B2 · Antibiofilm and antimicrobial functional membrane spacer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,027,240 B2 - Document ID: US11027240B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/099,971 - Filed: 2017-05-16 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., At Ben-Gurion University; William Marsh Rice University - Applicants: B.G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., at Ben-Gurion University; William Marsh Rice University - Inventors: Christopher John Arnusch; Swatantra Pratap Singh; Franklin Sargunaraj; Yoram Oren; James Mitchell Tour; Yilun Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027240B2 ## CPC - B01D 65/08: Prevention of membrane fouling or of concentration polarisation - B01D 63/101: {Spiral winding} - B01D 65/022: {Membrane sterilisation} - C01B 32/184: Preparation - C02F 1/44: by dialysis, osmosis or reverse osmosis {(general membrane separation processes B01D61/00, membrane modules B01D63/00, electrodialysis C02F1/4693, combination of membrane modules and bioreactors C02F3/1268)} - C02F 1/4672: {by electrooxydation} - C02F 1/4674: {with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine} - C08G 73/10: Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors - C08J 7/06: with compositions not containing macromolecular substances - B01D 2313/143: on the feed side - C02F 2001/46133: {characterised by the material} - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2303/20: Prevention of biofouling - C02F 2305/023: Reactive oxygen species, singlet oxygen, OH radical - C02F 2305/08: Nanoparticles or nanotubes - C08J 2379/08: Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors - 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) - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - 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) - C08G: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING UNSATURATED CARBON-TO-CARBON BONDS - C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29) ## Abstract Disclosed herein methods for combating biofouling in a liquid, e.g. an aqueous medium by providing a surface coated with at least one laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer in said liquid medium. Particularly disclosed herein method and devices for treating water comprising passing a water stream through a membrane module equipped with at least one spacer coated with at least one layer of LIG, and optionally by applying an electric potential to the at least one LIG layer to achieve a bactericidal effect in the water stream. Specifically, disclosed herein a polymeric mesh suitable for use as a spacer in a membrane module in water treatment application, said mesh being at least partially coated with LIG. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for combating biofouling or controlling microorganisms on a component in an aqueous medium, wherein the method comprises (a) selecting a component having a surface, wherein (i) the surface comprises a polymer material, and (ii) the polymer material is not graphene and is not graphene oxide; (b) generating a surface-coating on the surface, wherein (i) the surface-coating comprises at least one laser-induced graphene (LIG) layer, and (ii) the surface-coating is generated by irradiating the polymer material of the surface with a laser beam to form the at least one LIG layer on the surface; and (c) providing the component in said aqueous medium, wherein (i) the surface-coating combats biofouling or controls the growth of microorganisms on the component in the aqueous medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 comprising coating the component with the polymer material to form the component having the surface comprising the polymer material, wherein the component is prone to biofilm formation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said polymer material comprises a polymer selected from a group consisting of chain growth polymers and step growth polymers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said polymer material comprises a polymer selected from a group consisting of vinyl polymers and condensation polymers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein said component prone to biofilm formation is a a pipe, a watercraft, a fuel storage tank, or of an element in a water-treatment device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein said element in a water-treatment device is a membrane spacer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising applying electrical potential to said at least one LIG layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said electrical potential is in the range between 0.5 V and 5 V. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said electrical potential is in the range between 1.1 V and 3.5 V. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein said electrical potential is applied continuously for periods of at least 1 second. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is at least one spacer, and wherein the method comprises treating water-by passing a water stream through a membrane module equipped with the at least one spacer coated with the at least one layer of LIG. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A method according to claim 11 further comprising applying an electric potential to the at least one LIG layer, to achieve a bactericidal effect in the water stream. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the component is a membrane spacer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 further comprising applying electrical potential to said at least one LIG layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the membrane spacer comprises a polymeric mesh. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the polymeric mesh comprises polyimide. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the polymeric mesh is coated with at least two spaced apart LIG layers. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said polymer material comprises polyimide.