Dynamic membrane

Claim 2

A process for making thin polymer foils for use in a dynamic membrane which comprises the steps of dispersing in water a non-aqueous liquid phase, which phase contains a polymerization reactant B and which phase is substantially immiscible with water and has a boiling point below that of water; adding an aqueous solution of a polymerization reactant A, which results in a polymer forming at the interface of the non-aqueous phase and the water, said polymer encapsulating the non-aqueous phase; and heating the dispersion to a temperature above the boiling point of the non-aqueous phase but below the boiling point of water, which heating results in rupture of the encapsulating polymer to form a dispersion of thin polymer foils and in evaporation of the non-aqueous phase.

Claim 3

Process according to claim 12 characterized in that the dispersion is carried out in such a way that at least 70% of the foils in two perpendicular directions in the plane of the foil have dimensions between 0.1 μm and 1 mm.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 2, characterized in that the dimensions of the foils in the plane of the foils are between 1 μm and 1 mm.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 2, wherein the dimension of the foils in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the foils is less than 1/10 th the dimensions of the foils in the plane of the foils.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 4, wherein the dimensions of the foils in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the foils is 1 μm or smaller.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reactant A is a compound of the formula R m (X) n Y wherein X and Y are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , >NH, --NH--E, --OH, --NHNH 2 , >N--NH 2 , and --CO--NH--NH 2 where E is an alkyl group or an aromatic ring; R is selected from the group consisting of ##STR6## an alkyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms, and ##STR7## where D is selected from the group consisting of --CH 2 --, --SO 2-- , --CO--, --NH--, --S--, ##STR8## and --CHOH-- and p is 0 or 1, and where the R cyclic groups can be substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 3 --, CH 3 O--, ##STR9## and phenyl; n is 0, 1 or 2 and m is 0 or 1 with the proviso that when n is 0, then m is 1 and R is ##STR10## with the further proviso that when m is 0, then n is 1 and X and Y are selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , --NHNH 2 and --CO--NH--NH 2 ; and wherein reactant B is a compound of the formula R'.sub.Q (Z).sub.r S wherein Z and S are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of --COCl, --NHCOCl, --N=C=O, and --OCOCl; R' is selected from the group consisting of ##STR11## Cl, --CH=CH--, and an alkyl group with 1 - 4 carbon atoms where E is methyl or phenyl and the R' cyclic groups can be substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 3 -- and CH 3 0--; q is 0 or 1 with the proviso that when q is 0, then r is 1, and Z and S are ##STR12## and r is 1 or 2.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 1, wherein the reactant A is a compound of the formula R.sub.m X.sub.n wherein X is selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , >NH, --NH--E, --OH, --NHNH 2 , >N--NH 2 and --CONHNH where E is an alkyl group or an aromatic ring; R is an aromatic group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic ring, two condensed aromatic rings and two aromatic rings linked together by a member selected from the group consisting of --CH 2 --, --SO 2 --, --CO--, --NH--, --S--, ##STR13## and --CHOH--, said aromatic rings containing a maximum of six carbon atoms; n is 2 or 3; and m is 0 or 1; and wherein reactant B is a compound of the formula R'.sub.q Z.sub.r wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of --CO--Cl, --NH--CO--Cl, --N=C=O, and --O--CO--Cl; R' is an aromatic group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic ring, two condensed aromatic rings, and two aromatic rings linked together with a methylene group, said aromatic rings containing a maximum of six carbon atoms; q is 0 or 1; and r is 2 or 3.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 1, wherein after the step of heating, the dispersion of thin polymer foils is filtered, washed and redispersed in water.

Claim 10

The process according to claim 1, wherein after the step of adding water containing reactant A, the dispersion of the polymer encapsulated non-aqueous phase is filtered, washed and redispersed in water before the step of heating.

Claim 11

The process according to claim 9, wherein after the step of heating, the thin polymer foils are filtered, washed and redispersed in water.

Claim 12

A process according to claim 1, wherein the water contains a surface active substance.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 1, wherein the water contains an acid acceptor.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 1, wherein the water contains a buffer.

Claim 15

A process for making thin polymer foils for use in a dymanic membrane which comprises the steps of dispersing a non-aqueous phase in water, which phase contains a polymerization reactant B, and which non-aqueous phase is substantially immiscible with water and has a boiling point below that of water, which water contains polymerization reactant A, wherein A and B react to form a polymer at the interface of the non-aqueous phase and the water, said polymer encapsulating the non-aqueous phase; and heating the dispersion to a temperature of above the boiling point of the non-aqueous phase but below the boiling point of water, which heating results in rupture of the encapsulating polymer to form a dispersion of thin polymer foils and in evaporation of the non-aqueous phase.

Claim 16

A process for making thin polymer foils for use in a dymanic membrane which comprises the steps of dispersing a non-aqueous phase in water, which phase contains a polymerization reactant B, and which non-aqueous phase is substantially immiscible with water and has a boiling point below that of water, which water contains polymerization reactant A, wherein A and B react to form a polymer at the interface of the non-aqueous phase and the water, said polymer encapsulating the non-aqueous phase; and heating the dispersion to a temperature of above the boiling point of the non-aqueous phase but below the boiling point of water, which heating results in rupture of the encapsulating polymer to form a dispersion of thin polymer foils and in evaporation of the non-aqueous phase.

Claim 17

The process according to claim 14, wherein dispersion is carried out in such a way that at least 70% of the foils have dimensions between 0.1 μm and 1 mm in two perpendicular directions in the plane of the foils.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 15, wherein the dimensions in the plane of the foils are between 1 μm and 1 mm.

Claim 19

The process according to claim 15, wherein the dimension of the foils in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the foil is less than 1/10th the dimensions of the foils in the plane of the foils.

Claim 20

The process according to claim 17, wherein the dimension of the foils in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the foils is 1 μm or smaller.

Claim 21

The process according to claim 14, wherein the reactant A is a compound of the formula R m (X) n Y wherein X and Y are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , >NH, --NH--E, --OH, --NHNH 2 ,>N--NH 2 , and --CO--NH--NH 2 where E is an alkyl group or an aromatic ring; R is selected from the group consisting of ##STR14## an alkyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms, and ##STR15## where D is selected from the group consisting of --CH 2 --, --SO 2 --, --CO--, --NH--, --S--, ##STR16## and --CHOH-- and p is 0 or 1, and where R cyclic groups can be substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 3 --, CH 3 O--, ##STR17## and phenyl; n is 0, 1 or 2 and m is 0 or 1 with the proviso that when n is 0, then m is 1 and R is ##STR18## with the further proviso that when m is 0, then n is 1 and X and Y are selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , --NHNH 2 and --CO--NH--NH 2 ; and wherein reactant B is a compound of the formula R'.sub.q (Z).sub.R S wherein Z and S are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of --COCl, --NHCOCl, --N=C=O, and --OCOCl; R' is selected from the group consisting of ##STR19## Cl, --CH=CH--, and an alkyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms where E is methyl or phenyl and the R' cyclic groups can be substituted with a substituent selected from the group consisting of CH 3 -- and CH 3 O--; q is 0 or 1 with the proviso that when q is 0, then r is 1, and Z and S are ##STR20## and r is 1 or 2.

Claim 22

The process according to claim 14, wherein the reactant A is a compound of the formula R.sub.m X.sub.n wherein X is selected from the group consisting of --NH 2 , >NH,--NH--E,--OH, >N--NH 2 and --CONHNH 2 where E is an alkyl group or an aromatic ring; R is an aromatic group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic ring, two condensed aromatic rings, and two aromatic rings linked together by a member selected from the group consisting of --CH 2 --,--SO 2 --, --NH--, --S--, --CO--, ##STR21## and --CHOH--, said aromatic rings containing a maximum of six carbon atoms, n is 2 or 3; and m is 0 or 1; and wherein reactant B is a compound of the formula R'.sub.q Z.sub.r wherein Z is selected from the group consisting of --CO--Cl, --NH--CO--Cl, --N=C=O, and --O--CO--Cl; R' is an aromatic group selected from the group consisting of an aromatic ring, two condensed aromatic rings, and two aromatic rings linked together with a methylene group, said aromatic rings containing a maximum of six carbon atoms; q is 0 or 1; and r is 2 or 3.

Claim 23

The process according to claim 14, wherein after the step of heating; the dispersion of thin polymer foils is filtered, washed and redispersed in water.

Claim 24

The process according to claim 14, wherein after the step of dispersing the non-aqueous phase containing reactant B in water containing reactant A, the dispersion of the polymer encapsulated non-aqueous phase is filtered, washed and redispersed in water before the step of heating.

Claim 25

The process according to claim 22, wherein after the step of heating, the thin polymer foils are filtered, washed and redispersed in water.

Claim 26

The process according to claim 14, wherein the water contains a surface active substance.

Claim 27

The process according to claim 14, wherein the water contains an acid acceptor.

Claim 28

The process according to claim 14, wherein the water contains a buffer.