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US 11,590,456 B2Granted
Systems and methods for oleophobic composite membranes
AssigneesUchicago Argonne, LLC, The University of Chicago
InventorsHao-Cheng Yang, Seth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Lin Chen, Ruben Waldman
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Abstract
Atomic layer deposition is utilized to deposit a coating on a membrane. The coated membrane exhibits a tightly bound hydration layer upon exposure to water. The resultant coated membrane is oleophobic.
Claims11
A method of fabricating an oleophobic membrane comprising:
- providing a membrane comprising a bulk material selected from the group of hydrophobic materials consisting of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and a hydrophilic additive comprising polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) the membrane having a hydrophilic moiety exposed at a surface of at least a first side of the membrane, and depositing an oxide coating selected from the group consisting of SiO2, TiO2 or SnO2 on the surface of the first side of the membrane by atomic layer deposition by X cycles of the steps of:
- performing A atomic layer deposition subcycles of a first ALD precursor at a first deposition temperature, wherein the first ALD precursor binds with the hydrophilic moiety;
- and
- performing B atomic layer deposition subcycles of a second ALD precursor at a second deposition temperature;
- where X is greater than 0, A is greater than 0 and B is greater than 0;
- wherein a second side of the membrane, opposite the first side of the membrane, remains uncoated by the oxide coating.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating an oleophobic membrane comprising:
- providing a membrane having a bulk hydrophobic polymer and a hydrophilic additive selected from the additive group consisting of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyethylene glycol (PEG), piperazine, cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP), or malic acid, the membrane having a first side and a second side,
- depositing an oxide coating directly on a first side of the membrane, binding with the hydrophilic additive, comprising an oxide selected from the group consisting of TiO2 and SnO2 by atomic layer deposition at a temperature less than 125° C. by the steps of:
- a) performing atomic layer deposition of a first ALD precursor at a first deposition temperature, wherein the first ALD precursor binds with the hydrophilic moiety;
- b) purging the first ALD precursor with an inert gas;
- c) performing atomic layer deposition of a second ALD precursor at a second deposition temperature;
- d) purging the second ALD precursor with an inert gas;
- and
- repeating steps a), b), c), and d) until the oxide coating is at least 1-20 nm thick;
- wherein a second side of the membrane, opposite the first side of the membrane, remains uncoated by the oxide coating.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.