IP Library Granted Patent US 7,959,808
Granted Patent B2
US 7,959,808 · App. 12/262,643 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

Polysulfone membranes methods and apparatuses

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,959,808
App. No.
12/262,643
Granted
Jun 14, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for water filtration comprising contacting a water stream with a membrane comprising a polysulfone having structural units of Formula I wherein X is OH, NR 1 R 2 , or OR 3 ; R 1 and R 2 are independently at each occurrence hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5000 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, a polypeptide, a combination thereof, or R 1 and R 2 taken together form a 5- or 6-membered aliphatic ring or a 5-membered aromatic ring; R 3 is a C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, C3-C 12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof; B′ and C′ are independently at each occurrence a nitro group, C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof; and q and r are independently at each occurrence 0 to 4. The present invention also relates to a method and apparatus for gas separation, the method comprising contacting a gas stream with a membrane comprising a polysulfone having structural units of Formula I.

Claims (36)

1. A method for water filtration, said method comprising:

contacting a protein containing water stream with a hydrophilic membrane comprising a polysulfone having structural units of Formula I

wherein X is NR 1 R 2 ;

R 1 and R 2 are independently at each occurrence hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5000 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, a polypeptide, a combination thereof, or R 1 and R 2 taken together form a 5- or 6-membered aliphatic ring or a 5-membered aromatic ring;

B′ and C′ are independently at each occurrence a nitro group, C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof;

q and r are independently at each occurrence 0 to 4; and

wherein said hydrophilic membrane has a contact angle of water less than 40°; and producing a retentate and water as permeate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the membrane comprises a blend of the polysulfone and at least one other polymer or oligomer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the membrane further comprise at lest one hydrophilic polymer.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein q and r are each 0.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein X is an amide derived from N-methylglucamine, poly(vinylalcohol-co-vinylamine), or a combination thereof.

7. A water filtration apparatus comprising at least one hydrophilic membrane comprising a polysulfone having structural units of Formula I

wherein X is NR 1 R 2 ;

R 1 and R 2 are independently at each occurrence hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5000 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, a polypeptide, a combination thereof, or R 1 and R 2 taken together form a 5- or 6-membered aliphatic ring or a 5-membered aromatic ring;

B′ and C′ are independently at each occurrence a nitro group, C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof; and

q and r are independently at each occurrence 0 to 4; and

wherein said hydrophilic membrane has a contact angle of water less than 40°.

8. The water filtration apparatus of claim 7 wherein the membrane comprises a blend of the polysulfone and at least one other polymer or oligomer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the membrane further comprise at lest one hydrophilic polymer.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the membrane is a flat sheet, a hollow fiber, or a combination thereof.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein q and r are each 0.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein X is an amide derived from N-methylglucamine, poly(vinylalcohol-co-vinylamine), or a combination thereof.

14. A gas separation apparatus comprising at least one hydrophilic membrane comprising a polysulfone having structural units of Formula I

wherein X is NR 1 R 2 ;

R 1 and R 2 are independently at each occurrence hydrogen, a C 1 -C 5000 aliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, a C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, a polypeptide, a combination thereof, or R 1 and R 2 taken together form a 5- or 6-membered aliphatic ring or a 5-membered aromatic ring;

B′ and C′ are independently at each occurrence a nitro group, C 1 -C 20 aliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 cycloaliphatic radical, C 3 -C 12 aromatic radical, or a combination thereof;

q and r are independently at each occurrence 0 to 4; and

wherein said hydrophilic membrane has a contact angle of water less than 40°.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the membrane comprises a blend of the polysulfone and at least one other polymer or oligomer.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the membrane further comprise at lest one hydrophilic polymer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the hydrophilic polymer is polyvinyl pyrrolidone.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the membrane is a flat sheet, a hollow fiber, or a combination thereof.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein q and r are each 0.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein X is an amide derived from N-methylglucamine, poly(vinylalcohol-co-vinylamine), or a combination thereof.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 12, 2018
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: BL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 047502/0065 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 31, 2008
From: YEAGER, GARY WILLIAM; YU, LIMING; STEIGER, DANIEL; ZHANG, YANSHI
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 021769/0713 →