Water-and ion-conducting membranes and uses thereof

A process for extracting potable water from a brine, said process comprising:

• providing a membrane comprising a sulfonated arylvinyl polymer, said arylvinyl polymer comprising at least one arylvinyl monomer and wherein aromatic moieties derived from the arylvinyl monomer are at least partially sulfonated;
• placing a first surface of the membrane in contact with the brine wherein at least some brine is absorbed by the membrane;
• passing a gas over a second surface of the membrane to evaporate at least some water from the membrane, the gas being initially at least partially unsaturated with water vapor;
• and
• cooling the gas to condense liquid potable water;
• wherein the process further comprises heating the gas before passing the gas over the second surface of the membrane.

A process for extracting potable water from a brine, said process comprising:

• providing a membrane comprising a sulfonated arylvinyl polymer, said arylvinyl polymer comprising at least one arylvinyl monomer and wherein aromatic moieties derived from the arylvinyl monomer are at least partially sulfonated;
• placing a first surface of the membrane in contact with the brine wherein at least some brine is absorbed by the membrane;
• passing a gas over a second surface of the membrane to evaporate at least some water from the membrane, the gas being initially at least partially unsaturated with water vapor;
• and
• cooling the gas using seawater to condense liquid potable water.

A process for extracting potable water from a brine, said process comprising:

• providing a membrane comprising a sulfonated styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene triblock copolymer;
• placing a first surface of the membrane in contact with the brine wherein at least some brine is absorbed by the membrane;
• passing a gas over a second surface of the membrane to evaporate at least some water from the membrane, the gas being initially at least partially unsaturated with water vapor;
• and
• cooling the gas to condense liquid potable water.