← Back to Patent Explorer
US4283359A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process for producing polyacrylonitrile reverse osmotic membranes

Assignee: Japan Exlan Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1979-10-18
•
Granted: 1981-08-11
•
Expires: 1999-10-18
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A process for producing polyacrylonitrile membranes for use in reverse osmosis, which comprises dissolving an acrylonitrile polymer in formamide (FA)-containing dimethylformamide (DMF) to prepare an acrylonitrile polymer solution for membrane formation; shaping the solution into a membranous product of a desired form while maintaining the temperature of the solution within a specific range; removing the solvent from the membranous product under a specified solvent removal condition (solidifying condition); subjecting the thus-obtained membrane to a heat treatment, and further to a plasma treatment. The polyacrylonitrile membrane thus obtained is asymmetric and porous in structure, and excellent both in separation ability and in mechanical strength. This membrane is very suitable for use in reverse osmosis.

Inventors

  • 👤 Nobuhiro Tsutsui
  • 👤 Seiji Takao
  • 👤 Ichiki Murase

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 19:51
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D71/00; B01D71/06; B01D71/40; B01D71/42; B01D71/421; B01D67/00; B01D67/0081; B01D67/0083; B01D67/0086; B01D67/009; B29; B29C; B29C67/00; B29C67/20; B29C67/202; B01D2323/00; B01D2323/08; B01D2323/081

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim 191 words
A process for producing a polyacrylonitrile reverse osmotic membrane which comprises the steps of dissolving an acrylonitrile polymer in formamide-containing dimethylformamide to prepare an acrylonitrile polymer solution for membrane formation; shaping the polymer solution into a membranous product of a desired form while maintaining the temperature of the polymer solution above its gellation temperature; removing the solvent from the membranous product by bringing one side of the membranous product into contact with an aqueous solution of a temperature lower than 15° C. containing at least 10 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with the mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere, and by bringing the other side of the membranous product into contact with an inert medium or an aqueous solution of a temperature higher than 0° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with the above-mentioned mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere; subjecting the thus-obtained solidified membrane to a heat treatment at a temperature between 50° and 120° C.; and then subjecting the membrane to a plasma treatment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 191 words
A process for producing a polyacrylonitrile reverse osmotic membrane which comprises the steps of dissolving an acrylonitrile polymer in formamide-containing dimethylformamide to prepare an acrylonitrile polymer solution for membrane formation; shaping the polymer solution into a membranous product of a desired form while maintaining the temperature of the polymer solution above its gellation temperature; removing the solvent from the membranous product by bringing one side of the membranous product into contact with an aqueous solution of a temperature lower than 15° C. containing at least 10 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with the mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere, and by bringing the other side of the membranous product into contact with an inert medium or an aqueous solution of a temperature higher than 0° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with the above-mentioned mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere; subjecting the thus-obtained solidified membrane to a heat treatment at a temperature between 50° and 120° C.; and then subjecting the membrane to a plasma treatment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylonitrile polymer contains combined therewith more than 80 weight % acrylonitrile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the mixing ratio of formamide to dimethylformamide is from 1/99 to 28/72.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the concentration of the acrylonitrile polymer in the solution for membrane formation is from 10 to 35 weight % based on the total weight of said solution.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 4 wherein the concentration of the acrylonitrile polymer in the solution for membrane formation is from 20 to 32 weight % based on the total weight of said solution.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the temperature of the solution for membrane formation is maintained by 1° to 50° C. higher than the gellation temperature of said solution.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein said other side of the membranous product is brought into contact with a medium of a temperature between 0° and 80° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the solidified membrane is stretched at a stretching ratio of 0.8-1.5 times.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heat treatment temperature is between 80° and 100° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 189 words
A process for producing a polyacrylonitrile reverse osmotic membrane which comprises the steps of dissolving an acrylonitrile polymer in formamide-containing dimethylformamide to prepare an acrylonitrile polymer solution for membrane formation; shaping the polymer solution into a membranous product of a desired form while maintaining the temperature of the polymer solution above its gellation temperature; removing the solvent from the membranous product by bringing one side of the membranous product into contact with an inert atmosphere followed by bringing it into contact with an aqueous solution of a temperature lower than 40° C. containing not more than 10 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with said mixed solvent, and by bringing the other side of the membranous product into contact with an inert medium or an aqueous solution of a temperature higher than 0° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with said mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere; subjecting the thus-obtained solidified membrane to a heat treatment at a temperature between 50° and 120° C.; and then subjecting the membrane to a plasma treatment.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 189 words
A process for producing a polyacrylonitrile reverse osmotic membrane which comprises the steps of dissolving an acrylonitrile polymer in formamide-containing dimethylformamide to prepare an acrylonitrile polymer solution for membrane formation; shaping the polymer solution into a membranous product of a desired form while maintaining the temperature of the polymer solution above its gellation temperature; removing the solvent from the membranous product by bringing one side of the membranous product into contact with an inert atmosphere followed by bringing it into contact with an aqueous solution of a temperature lower than 40° C. containing not more than 10 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with said mixed solvent, and by bringing the other side of the membranous product into contact with an inert medium or an aqueous solution of a temperature higher than 0° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent compatible with said mixed solvent, immediately or after bringing it once into contact with an inert atmosphere; subjecting the thus-obtained solidified membrane to a heat treatment at a temperature between 50° and 120° C.; and then subjecting the membrane to a plasma treatment.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the acrylonitrile polymer contains combined therewith more than 80 weight % acrylonitrile.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the mixing ratio of formamide to dimethylformamide is from 1/99 to 28/72.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 35 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the concentration of the acrylonitrile polymer in the solution for membrane formation is from 15 to 40 weight % based on the total weight of said solution.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 38 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 or claim 13 wherein the concentration of the acrylonitrile polymer in the solution for membrane formation is from 20 to 35 weight % based on the total weight of said solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 31 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the temperature of the solution for membrane formation is maintained by 1° to 50° C. higher than the gellation temperature of said solution.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 41 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein said other side of the membranous product is brought into contact with a medium of a temperature between 0° and 80° C. containing not more than 50 weight % of a water-soluble solvent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 20 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the solidified membrane is stretched at a stretching ratio of 0.8-1.5 times.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 18 words
The process as claimed in claim 10 wherein the heat treatment temperature is between 80° and 100° C.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3418406A Cited
US4147745A Cited
US4066731A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-08-10 1985-02-09 1985-08-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-08-10 1989-02-09 1989-08-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-08-10 1993-02-09 1993-08-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag