1. A membrane comprising:
a porous polymeric layer, wherein the porous polymeric layer has an average pore diameter of from about 100 nm to about 500 nm, and wherein the porous polymeric layer comprises a material that has a zeta potential of |20-25| mV, or is essentially charge neutral; and
a polyelectrolyte layer physically adsorbed on the porous polymeric layer, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer comprises at least one polyelectrolyte that has a molecular weight between about 50 kDa to about 1,000 kDa and a counterion to the polyelectrolyte has a positive Jones-Dole B viscosity coefficient;
wherein the membrane has a zeta potential of |\u226750| mV.
2. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer forms a monolayer on the porous polymeric layer.
3. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer includes alternating monolayers of cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes physically adsorbed on the porous polymeric membrane.
4. The membrane of claim 3, wherein the alternating monolayers of cationic and anionic polyelectrolytes are formed by contacting an adsorbed cationic polyelectrolyte monolayer with an aqueous solution of an anionic polyelectrolyte or contacting an adsorbed anionic polyelectrolyte monolayer with an aqueous solution of a cationic polyelectrolyte.
5. The membrane of claim 4, wherein each solution comprises a polyelectrolyte at a concentration of at least 2 mM in terms of repeat unit of the polyelectrolyte.
6. The membrane of claim 4, wherein each solution has a pH from about 3.5 to about 8.5.
7. The membrane of claim 4, wherein each solution is a buffered solution with an ionic strength between about 25 to about 250 mM.
8. The membrane of claim 4, wherein the average thickness of each monolayer is between about 1 nm to about 6 nm.
9. The membrane of claim 4, wherein the zeta potential of the membrane shows less than 25% variation after heating at 50\xb0 C., at pH 8.2 for at least 10 days.
10. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the zeta potential of the membrane is |\u226750| mV for at least seven days during which pumping is continuously applied across the surface.
11. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the material of the porous polymeric layer is selected from the group consisting of poly(olefins), halogenated poly(olefins), poly(cylco olefins), halogenated poly(cylco olefins), poly(styrenes), halogenated poly(styrenes), poly(propylenes), poly(ethylenes), halogenated poly(ethylenes), poly(tetrafluoroethylenes), poly(sulfones), poly(ether sulfones), poly(arylsulfones), poly(phenylene ether sulfones), poly(imides), poly(etherimides), poly(vinylidene fluorides), poly(esters), halogenated poly(esters), poly(ethylene terephthalates), polybutylene terephthalates), poly(carbonates), poly(vinyl halides), poly(acrylics), poly(acrylates), halogenated poly(acrylates), poly(methacrylics), poly(methacrylates), poly(anhydrides), poly(acrylonitriles), poly(ethers), poly(arylene ether ketones), poly(phenylene sulfides), poly(arylene oxides), poly(siloxanes), cellulose acetates, cellulose nitrates, poly(amides), nylon, ceramics and mixtures and co-polymers thereof.
12. The membrane of claim 11, wherein the porous polymeric layer is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) or nylon.
13. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the at least one polyelectrolyte is a weak polyelectrolyte.
14. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the at least one polyelectrolyte is a strong polyelectrolyte.
15. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the at least one polyelectrolyte is a cationic polyelectrolyte.
16. The membrane of claim 15, wherein the cationic polyelectrolyte is a polyamine, an alkylated polyamine, a polyammonium salt, a poly(quaternary ammonium salt), a poly(alkylenimine) or mixtures thereof.
17. The membrane of claim 15 wherein the cationic polyelectrolyte is selected from Poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMA-Cl); Poly(N,N-dimethyl-3,5-dimethylene piperidinium chloride); Poly(ethylenimine) (PEI); Poly(vinylamine) (PVAH); Poly(N-methyl vinylamine); Poly(allylamine) (PAH); Poly(4-vinyl-1-methylpyridinium bromide); Poly(allylammonium fluoride); Poly(dimethylamine-co-epichlorohydrin), quaternized; Poly(lysine); Poly(N,N,N\u2032,N\u2032-tetramethyl-N-trimethylenehexamethylenediammonium dibromide); Poly(2-(Dimethylamino-ethyl)methacrylate); Poly(2-methacryloyloxy-ethyl-trimethylammonium chloride); Poly(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropyl-trimethylammonium chloride); Poly(3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl-2-methacryloxyethyl-dimethylammonium chloride) (PCHPMEDMAC); Poly(N-3-(dimethylamino)-propyl methacrylamide); and Poly(3-methacryloylamino-propyl-trimethylammonium chloride).
18. The membrane of claim 15, wherein the counterion to the cationic polyelectrolyte is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic, aromatic or heteroaromatic carboxylates, chromate, bicarbonate, sulfate, phosphate, and fluoride.
19. The membrane of claim, wherein 15 the counterion to the cationic polyelectrolyte is univalent.
20. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the at least one polyelectrolyte is an anionic polyelectrolyte.
21. The membrane of claim 20, wherein the anionic polyelectrolyte is a polycarboxylic acid or a polysulfonic acid.
22. The membrane of claim 20, wherein the anionic polyelectrolyte is selected from the group consisting of Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA); Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA); Poly(itaconic acid); Poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS); Poly(vinylphosphonic acid); Poly(vinylsulphonic acid); Poly(aspartic acid); Poly(glutamic acid); Poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (NaPSS); Poly(anetholesulfonic acid); Poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate); Poly(1,4-phenylene ether-sulfone sulfonic acid); and Poly(1,4-phenylene ether ether ketone sulfonic acid).
23. The membrane of claim 20, wherein the counterion to the anionic polyelectrolyte is Li+, Na+, tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl ammonium or bis(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium-tris(hydroxymethyl)methane.
24. The membrane of claim 20, wherein the counterion to the anionic polyelectrolyte is univalent.
25. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the polyelectrolyte layer includes at least one cationic polyelectrolyte and at least one anionic polyelectrolyte.
26. The membrane of claim 1 wherein the average pore diameter of the porous polymeric layer is between about 100 nm to about 300 nm.
27. The membrane of claim 1, wherein the membrane is a component in an electroosmotic pump.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An oil candle apparatus comprising:
a metal heat sink disposed in a seated position along a bottom interior surface of a container having a quantity of lamp oil disposed within said container,
wherein said heat sink is disposed at least partially within said lamp oil;
a wick holder; and
a wick.
2. The oil candle apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink and the wick holder are both comprised of metal.
3. The oil candle apparatus of claim 2 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, brass, steel, and mixtures thereof.
4. The oil candle apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least two different types of metal are used.
5. The oil candle of claim 4 wherein said at least two different types of metal used are not an alloy.
6. The oil candle apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wick holder is comprised of a non-metal.
7. The oil candle apparatus of claim 6 wherein said wick holder is comprised from a material selected from at least one member of the group consisting of ceramic, thermostable plastics, glass, rock, concrete, and composite materials.
8. The oil candle apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat sink is comprised of at least one wire, wherein said at least one wire is disposed to secure said wick holder.
9. The oil candle apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heat sink is comprised of at least one sheet of metal having upper and lower surfaces.
10. The oil candle apparatus of claim 9 wherein said wick holder is disposed through an opening in said sheet of metal and having two opposing openings of said wick holder such that said two openings are essentially planar to said upper and lower surfaces.
11. The oil candle of claim 1 wherein said heat sink comprises a combination of wires, sheets, or thickened metal.
12. The oil candle of claim 1 wherein said wick is comprised of metal fibers.
13. An oil candle apparatus comprising:
a metal heat sink disposed in a seated position along a bottom interior surface of a container having a quantity of lamp oil disposed within said container,
wherein said heat sink is disposed at least partially within said lamp oil, wherein said heat sink is shaped to form a wick holder; and
a wick.
14. The oil candle apparatus of claim 13 wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, steel, brass, and mixtures thereof.
15. The oil candle of claim 14 wherein at least two different types of metal are used and selected from the group consisting of copper, aluminum, gold, silver, steel, brass, and mixtures thereof not as an alloy.
16. The oil candle apparatus of claim 15 wherein said wick holder is comprised of a non-metal.
17. The oil candle apparatus of claim 16 wherein said wick holder is comprised of ceramic or other non-combustible material.
18. The oil candle apparatus of claim 13 wherein said heat sink is comprised of at least one sheet of metal.
19. The oil candle of claim 1 wherein said wick is comprised of metal fibers.
20. The candle of claim 1 comprising more than one wick holder.