Patent ID: 7914875

Claim:
A hybrid membrane structure comprising: an inorganic porous support comprising a first end, a second end, and a plurality of inner channels having surfaces defined by porous walls and extending through the support from the first end to the second end; optionally, one or more porous inorganic intermediate layers coating the inner channel surfaces of the inorganic porous support; a polymeric amine-containing membrane comprising a mobile non-polymeric amine and a crosslinked polyamine; and a polymeric protection layer coated on at least one surface of the polymeric amine-containing membrane and comprising a hydrophilic polymer and a polyamine; wherein, when the hybrid membrane structure does not comprise the one or more porous inorganic intermediate layers, the inner channel surfaces of the inorganic porous support comprise a median pore size of 500 nanometers or less and the polymeric amine-containing membrane coats the inner channel surfaces of the inorganic porous support; and wherein, when the hybrid membrane structure comprises the one or more porous inorganic intermediate layers, the polymeric amine-containing membrane coats the surface of the one or more porous intermediate layers.