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US 11,896,935 B2Granted
Filtration membranes
AssigneesUchicago Argonne, LLC, The University of Chicago
InventorsSeth B. Darling, Jeffrey W. Elam, Ruben Waldman
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Abstract
Polymeric membranes are modified via SIS to promote membrane resilience, prolong membrane lifetime, and mitigate fouling. Modified membranes include an inorganic material within an outer portion of the modified membrane and a polymeric core that remains unmodified by the inorganic material. The polymer may be removed leaving an inorganic material patterned from an initial unmodified polymeric membrane.
Claims10
A method for forming a membrane with inorganic features comprising:
- (a) exposing a polymer membrane, which comprises a polyvinylidene fluoride polymer substrate, with a first precursor, comprising trimethyl aluminum (TMA), wherein exposing the first precursor comprises exposing the TMA in at least five exposure pulses for at least 5 continuous minutes of dwell time with a first precursor partial pressure of 1 torr to form by a first reaction a first layer within a bulk of the polymer substrate;
- (b) purging excess first precursor and first reaction by-product;
- (c) reacting the first layer with a second precursor within the bulk of the polymer substrate by a second reaction;
- and
- (d) purging excess second precursor and second reaction by-product,
- wherein steps (a) to (d) constitute one cycle and steps (a) to (d) are repeated 0 to 4 times, and
- forming the membrane with inorganic features comprising an inorganic shell within the polymer substrate.
4 more elements
A method for forming a membrane with inorganic features comprising:
- (a) exposing a polymer membrane, which comprises a polymer substrate, with a first precursor, comprising trimethyl aluminum (TMA), wherein exposing the first precursor comprises exposing the TMA in at least five exposure pulses for at least 5 continuous minutes of dwell time with a first precursor partial pressure of 1 torr to form by a first reaction a first layer within a bulk of the polymer substrate;
- (b) purging excess first precursor and first reaction by-product;
- (c) reacting, by a second reaction, the first layer with a second precursor within the bulk of the polymer substrate;
- and
- (d) purging excess second precursor and second reaction by-product,
- wherein steps (a) to (d) constitute one cycle and steps (a) to (d) are repeated 0 to 4 times,
- forming the membrane with inorganic features comprising an inorganic shell within the polymer substrate.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.