Patent ID: 8083833

Claim:
A flexible organic micropore-forming template-directed microporous partially pyrolyzed polymeric organic membrane comprising partially pyrolyzed organic polymer wherein said organic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysulfones, poly(styrenes), styrene-containing copolymers, polycarbonates, cellulosic polymers, polyamides, polyamic acids, polyimides, polyethers, poly(arylene oxides), poly(esteramide-diisocyanate), polyurethanes, polysulfides, polymers from monomers having alpha-olefinic unsaturation, polyvinyls, polyhydrazides, polyoxadiazoles, polytriazoles, poly(benzimidazole), polycarbodiimides, polyphosphazines, and mixtures thereof and wherein said organic micropore-forming template is selected from the group consisting of crown ethers, cyclodextrins, calixarenes, and spherands, polyvinylpyrrolidone, poly(acrylic acid), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), hyperbranched amine-terminated PEO, poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), co-block-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) (PEO-PPO), tri-block-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide) (PPO-PEO-PPO), poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminepropyl ether) (PAPE), linear and star-shaped poly(caprolactone), and mixtures thereof and wherein said flexible organic micropore-forming template-directed microporous partially pyrolyzed polymeric organic membrane has micropores that have an average pore diameter of less than 2 nm.