US2004124135A1PendingUtilityA1

Unsupported multizone microporous membrane

45
Priority: Aug 7, 2000Filed: Dec 16, 2003Published: Jul 1, 2004
Est. expiryAug 7, 2020(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Richard SaleEugene A. Ostreicher
B01D 69/1216B01D 2325/0232B01D 71/68B05B 9/06B01D 67/0018B01D 71/34B01D 71/56B05C 5/0254B01D 69/02B32B 5/32B29C 41/32B01D 2323/18
45
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Claims

Abstract

An at least two zone, unsupported, continuous microporous membrane is disclosed. The at least two zone, unsupported, continuous microporous membrane may include at least two different membrane pore size zones or the pore sizes may have about the same pore size. Apparatus and processes for fabricating at least a two zone unsupported, continuous, microporous membrane are also disclosed. One representative process disclosed for forming a continuous, unsupported, multizone phase inversion microporous membrane having at least two zones comprises of the acts of: operatively positioning at least one dope applying apparatus, having at least two polymer dope feed slots, relative to a continuous moving coating surface; applying polymer dopes from each of the dope feed slots onto the continuously moving coating surface so as to create a multiple layer polymer dope coating on the coating surface; subjecting the multiple dope zone layer to contact with a phase inversion producing environment so as to form a wet multizone phase inversion microporous membrane; and then washing and drying the membrane. Other representative apparatuses and processes are also disclosed.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for forming a continuous, unsupported, multizone phase inversion microporous membrane having at least two zones, comprising of the acts of: 
 operatively positioning at least one dope applying apparatus having at least two polymer dope feed slots relative to a continuously moving coating surface;    cooperatively applying polymer dopes from each of the dope feed slots onto the continuously moving coating surface so as to create a multiple layer polymer dope coating on the coating surface; and    subjecting the multiple dope layer coating to contact with a phase inversion producing environment so as to form a wet multizone phase inversion microporous membrane.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 nylon.  
 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyvinylidene fluoride.  
 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyether sulfone.  
 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising the acts of: 
 washing and drying the membrane.  
 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type II configuration.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type III configuration  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IV configuration  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type V configuration  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VI configuration  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VII configuration  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VIII configuration  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IX configuration  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the multizone membrane has a type I configuration.  
     
     
         15 . A process for forming a continuous, unsupported, multizone phase inversion microporous membrane having at least two zones, comprising of the acts of: 
 operatively positioning at least two dope applying apparatus, each having at least one polymer dope feed slot, relative to a coating surface;    applying polymer dope from each of the dope applying apparatus onto the coating surface so as to create a multiple layer polymer dope coating on the coating surface; and    subjecting the multiple layer polymer dope coating on the coating surface to contact with a phase inversion producing environment so as to form a wet multizone phase inversion microporous membrane.    
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 nylon.  
 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyvinylidene fluoride.  
 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyether sulfone.  
 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 15  further comprising the acts of: 
 washing and drying the membrane.  
 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type I configuration.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type II configuration.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type III configuration.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IV configuration.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type V configuration.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VI configuration.  
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VII configuration.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VIII configuration.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 15  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IX configuration.  
     
     
         29 . A multizone, unsupported, membrane comprising: 
 a first zone having a first pore size; and    at least a second zone having a second pore size, the first and second zones being operatively connected such that the multizone membrane is continuous and does not include any support material.    
     
     
         30 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the first zone is formed from a first polymer dope for producing one pore size and the at least a second zone is formed from at least a second polymer dope for producing at least one different pore size.  
     
     
         31 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 nylon.  
 
     
     
         32 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyvinylidene fluoride.  
 
     
     
         33 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the polymer dope comprises: 
 polyether sulfone.  
 
     
     
         34 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type I configuration.  
     
     
         35 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type II configuration.  
     
     
         36 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type III configuration.  
     
     
         37 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IV configuration.  
     
     
         38 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type V configuration.  
     
     
         39 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VI configuration.  
     
     
         40 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VII configuration.  
     
     
         41 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type VIII configuration.  
     
     
         42 . The multizone membrane of  claim 29  wherein the multizone membrane has a type IX configuration.

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