Granted Patent B2

US 12,370,501 · App. 17/610,683 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Inventors: Frank Schneider (Neuss, DE); Stefan Weuster (Neuss, DE); Daniel P. Malek (Neuss, DE); Mathias Stroschke (Neuss, DE)

Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company

B01D69/08B01D61/147B01D69/087B01D71/381B01D71/68B01D71/82B01D2323/02B01D2323/082B01D2323/12B01D2323/30B01D2323/36

Abstract

Claims (24)

1. A process for producing a modified microporous membrane, comprising

(i). Providing a first solution comprising at least one first polymer and at least one epoxy functional compound;

(ii). Providing a second solution comprising at least one diamine compound;

(iii). Bringing the first solution and the second solution into contact, thereby obtaining a modified microporous membrane comprising at least one first polymer and the crosslinked reaction product of the at least one epoxy functional compound and the at least one diamine compound;

wherein the modified microporous membrane is a hollow-fiber membrane; and

wherein the first solution is a dope solution, the second solution is a bore solution, and bringing the first and second solutions into contact takes place in a spinneret.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one epoxy functional compound is a copolymer comprising building blocks comprising at least one epoxy moiety and at least one aliphatic alkoxy function or aromatic alkoxy function.

3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the building blocks comprising at least one epoxy moiety are selected from aliphatic glycidyl ethers or aromatic glycidyl ethers.

4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the copolymer further comprises building blocks comprising moieties selected from aliphatic esters, cyclic esters, or aromatic esters; aliphatic amides, cyclic amides, or aromatic amides; aliphatic ethers, cyclic ethers, or aromatic ethers; aliphatic sulfones, cyclic sulfones, or aromatic sulfones; aliphatic sulphides, cyclic sulphides, or aromatic sulphides; aliphatic sulphonamides, cyclic sulphonamides, or aromatic sulphonamides; and/or metal chelating agents.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one epoxy functional compound has the formula

wherein x, y and z are evenly distributed.

6. The process according to claim 5 , wherein x+y+z=100.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one diamine compound is selected from polyamines, polyetheramines, polyamidoamines, and any combination and mixtures thereof.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one first polymer is selected from polyvinylidene fluorides, polyethylenes, and/or polysulfones.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one first polymer is selected from polysulfones.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first solution comprises at least one second polymer.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one first polymer is selected from polysulfones, and the at least one second polymer is selected from polyvinylpyrrolidones.

12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the first solution comprises at least one solvent.

13. A modified membrane, obtained in the process according to claim 1 .

14. A method for microfiltration, nanofiltration or ultrafiltration, said method comprising contacting water or an aqueous media with a membrane according to claim 13 .

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said microfiltration, nanofiltration or ultrafiltration comprises virus filtration.

16. The process according to claim 9 , wherein said polysulfones are selected from polyether sulfone, polyphenylene sulfone or polyaryl ether sulfone.

17. The process according to claim 10 , wherein said at least one second polymer is a hydrophilic polymer or copolymer.

18. The process according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one solvent is selected from dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and N-methyl pyrrolidone and any combinations or mixtures thereof.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (14)