New composite membranes based on porous anodic alumina films and polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM-1) have been prepared using a spin-coating technique. According to scanning electron microscopy, partial penetration of polymer into the pores of alumina supports takes place giving rise to selective polymeric layers with fiber-like microstructure. Geometric confinement of rigid PIM-1 in the channels of anodic alumina causes reduction of small-scale mobility in polymeric chains. As a result, transport of permanent gases, such as CH₄, becomes significantly hindered across composite membranes. Contrary, the transport of condensable gases (CO₂, С₄H₁₀), did not significantly suffer from the confinement due to high solubility in the polymer matrix. This strategy enables enhancement of selectivity towards CO₂ and C₄H₁₀ without significant loss of the membrane performance and seems to be prospective for drain and sweetening of natural gas.

An array of highly oriented anatase nanoparticles was successfully prepared from NH₄TiOF₃ with the assistance of polyetheleneglycol-400 at 450 °C. The study showed the stability of obtained layered TiO₂-anatase close to 1200 °C. This research confirmed for the first time that the transition of mesocrystalline anatase to the rutile phase occurs between 1000 °C and 1200 °C, which is more than 400 °C higher than the transition of bulk TiO₂ due to the used precursor. A small quantity of K-phase nanowhiskers, which issued after 800 °C in the composite based on TiO₂, stimulated a fourfold increase in photocatalytic performance. This study offers a new approach to the construction and preparation of effective nanocrystalline photocatalyst.