Porous membranes and associated separation modules and methods

3-4. (canceled)

A method of making a porous membrane, the method comprising:

• dissolving a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer comprising 10 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol and 60 to 90 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol and a block copolymer comprising a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide-polyethylene oxide) block copolymer, a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, a poly(C2-4 alkylene oxide)-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing in a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent to form a membrane-forming composition;
• and
• phase-inverting the membrane forming-composition in a first non-solvent composition to form the porous membrane.

A method of making a hollow fiber by coextrusion through a spinneret comprising an annulus and a bore, wherein the method comprises coextruding:

• a membrane-forming composition comprising a poly(phenylene ether) copolymer comprising 10 to 40 mole percent repeat units derived from 2-methyl-6-phenylphenol and 60 to 90 mole percent repeat units derived from 2,6-dimethylphenol, and a block copolymer comprising a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer, a poly(C2-4 alkylene oxide)-poly(dimethylsiloxane) block copolymer, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing dissolved in a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent, through the annulus, and
• a first non-solvent composition comprising water, a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, in the first non-solvent composition, through the bore,
• into a second non-solvent composition comprising water, a water-miscible polar aprotic solvent, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing, to form the hollow fiber.