Filtration membranes and related compositions, methods and systems

1. A bicomposite membrane, the bicomposite membrane comprising

a plurality of nanofibers and/or microfibers attached to a polymer matrix formed by a porous polymeric aggregate comprising polymeric nanoparticles,

wherein the polymeric nanoparticles are formed by hyperbranched polymeric molecules covalently cross-linked to one another, and

wherein the polymeric nanoparticles are homogenously distributed in the polymer matrix.

2. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers in the bicomposite membrane comprise embedded dendritic nanoparticles.

3. The bicomposite membrane of claim 2 , wherein the embedded dendritic nanoparticles are formed by hyperbranched polymeric molecules covalently cross-linked to one another.

4. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers in the bicomposite membrane comprise a scaffold component providing a supporting framework for one or more additional components attached to the scaffold providing functionalities to the scaffold.

5. The bicomposite membrane of claim 4 , wherein the scaffold component comprises a polymeric component providing a fiber scaffold and the additional component comprises a dendritic component attached to the polymeric component presenting reactive sites on the fiber scaffold.

6. The bicomposite membrane of claim 5 , wherein the polymeric component comprises at least one of polysulfone (PS), polyethersulfone (PES), poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) or poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), and the dendritic component attached to the polymeric component comprises cross-linked hyperbranced PEI, PPI dendrimers or PAMAM dendrimers.

7. The bicomposite membrane of claim 5 , wherein the polymeric component comprises PVDF and the dendritic component attached to the polymeric component comprises PEI.

8. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanofibers and/or microfibers is directly attached to the polymer matrix formed by the porous polymeric aggregate comprising polymeric nanoparticles.

9. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nanofibers and/or microfibers is attached to a support layer and the support layer is further attached to the porous polymeric aggregate comprising polymeric nanoparticles.

10. The bicomposite membrane of claim 9 , wherein the support layer is a polyethylene terephthalate non-woven fabric support layer.

11. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers are covalently cross-linked to one another.

12. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers comprise hollow fibers.

13. The bicomposite membrane of claim 12 , wherein the hollow fibers are anion-selective hollow fibers.

14. The bicomposite membrane of claim 12 , wherein the hollow fibers are cation-selective hollow fibers.

15. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers are coated with separation layers formed by cross-linked hyperbranched PEI.

16. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the nanofibers and/or microfibers form nanofibrous composite membranes attached to the polymer matrix.

17. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the porous polymeric aggregate is formed by a polymer according to Formula I:

wherein:

Q, Y, and Z comprise saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon, or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons;

m, l, and k independently are integers ranging between 0-50;

at least one of m, l, or k is not equal to zero;

j is an integer ranging between 50-500; and

wherein at least one of Q (when Q≠0), Y (when Y≠0), or Z (when Z≠0), comprises a polymer component functional group.

18. The bicomposite membrane of claim 17 , wherein Q, Y, and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of Formulas II-X

wherein:

n=0 or 1;

m is an integer ranging from 0-15; and

X is a functional group comprising an atom selected from O, S, N, P, or F; and R 1 -R 18 are independently selected from: the polymer component functional group; hydrogen; C 1 -C 20 linear, branched, saturated, unsaturated, or aryl hydrocarbon which are either substituted or unsubstituted with O, N, B, S, P; or substituted O, N, B, S, or P.

19. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanoparticles comprise covalently cross-linked dendritic polymer.

20. The bicomposite membrane of claim 19 , wherein the cross-linked dendritic polymer is a polyimine.

21. The bicomposite membrane of claim 20 , wherein the polyimine is poly(ethyleneimine).

22. The bicomposite membrane of claim 21 , wherein the poly(ethyleneimine) has a degree of branching of about 65-70%.

23. The bicomposite membrane of claim 19 , wherein the cross-linked dendritic polymer is present in a concentration of greater than about 20 weight %.

24. The bicomposite membrane of claim 19 , wherein the cross-linked dendritic polymer is present in a concentration of greater than about 40 weight %.

25. The bicomposite membrane of claim 19 , wherein the dendritic polymer comprises a polymer according to Formula XII:

wherein n and m are integers from 2-5, and wherein R1-R4 can be independently hydrogen or hyperbranched polymer moieties.

26. The bicomposite membrane of claim 19 , wherein the dendritic polymer comprises a polymer according to Formula XIII:

wherein n and m are integers from 2-5, and wherein R1-R4 can be independently hydrogen or hyperbranched polymer moieties.

27. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanoparticles further comprise cross-linked poly(methacrylic acid).

28. The bicomposite membrane of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric nanoparticles are in a concentration up to about 50% and/or wherein fractal formation of nanoparticle is not detectable.