membrane
Let an agent explain membranes across biology and engineering, describe kinds and mechanisms of transport, relay applications and standards, and distinguish membrane senses and related structures.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain membranes across biology and engineering, describe kinds and mechanisms of transport, relay applications and standards, and distinguish membrane senses and related structures.
A thin selective barrier that separates two regions and controls the passage of substances between them, including biological membranes such as cell and organelle membranes built of lipid bilayers, synthetic membranes used in filtration, desalination, gas separation and dialysis, including asymmetric and nylon membranes, geomembranes used as liners in civil engineering, and engineered vesicles such as virosomes and phytosomes; membranes are studied as porous media and engineered by material and pore structure.
What it is for: Selective separation and containment.
It can be explain kinds and transport; describe applications; relay standards; distinguish senses.
Distinguishing features
Selective permeability
Thin relative to area
Biological and synthetic forms
Transport mechanisms
What it looks like
A thin sheet or film, or in cells an invisible bilayer seen only by electron microscopy.
Physical character
cell membrane thickness: about 5-10 nm
reverse osmosis membrane pore size: under 1 nm
How it is recognised
Thin selective barrier
Biological, synthetic, geomembrane and vesicle forms
A filter paper is a coarse porous medium; a film may not be selective
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
includes - the biological form
is used in - for separation
is characterised by - and selectivity
In practice
Families and kinds
biological membranes: cell, nuclear, mitochondrial
synthetic polymer and ceramic membranes, including asymmetric and nylon membranes
membranes by process: microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, gas separation, dialysis
geomembranes for containment
engineered vesicles such as virosomes and phytosomes
anatomical membranes such as mucous and serous membranes
Standards and regulation
ASTM and ISO standards for membrane testing
Drinking water and dialysis membrane regulations
Geomembrane standards for landfills and reservoirs
Failure modes and hazards
Fouling and clogging
Leaks in geomembranes
Confusing senses of membrane
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.membrane
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What a membrane is.
Science.
Definition
Definition and kinds.
Definition
Definition.
- What is a membrane, and what kinds exist in biology and engineering? definition
- Is the question about a biological, synthetic, geotechnical or anatomical membrane? boundary
Transport
Transport mechanisms.
Transport
Transport.
- How do substances cross membranes by diffusion, osmosis, sieving and active transport? definition
- Which entry fits the specific mechanism? action
Biology Biological membranes.
Science.
Structure
Structure.
Structure
Structure.
- How are biological membranes built, and what is the fluid mosaic model? provenance
- Which entry fits cell membrane? action
Engineered
Engineered vesicles.
Engineered
Engineered.
- What are virosomes, phytosomes and liposomes, and how are they used? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Engineering Membrane technology.
Application.
Separation
Separation processes.
Separation
Separation.
- How are membranes used in water treatment, desalination, gas separation and dialysis? provenance
- Which entry fits reverse osmosis? action
Materials
Materials and fouling.
Materials
Materials.
- What materials and structures are used, and how is fouling managed? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Context Geomembranes and history.
Context.
Geomembranes
Geomembranes.
Geomembranes
Geomembranes.
- How are geomembranes used in landfills, reservoirs and mining, and what standards apply? provenance
- Which entry fits geosynthetics? action
History
History.
History
History.
- How did membrane science develop from early osmosis studies to modern separation technology? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of membrane technology? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should cell membrane and synthetic membrane be separate primary entries?
- How should standards be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming vesicle products and specific materials; should they be split off?