Yt. Yang et al., SELECTIVE PROTEIN-TRANSPORT THROUGH A THIN CELLULOSE COATED POROUS MEMBRANE, Biotechnology and bioengineering, 43(3), 1994, pp. 207-214
A new composite membrane was designed and studied for permselectivity
of various molecular weight proteins. The membrane is composed of a po
rous substrate membrane [Durapore; poly(vinylidene fluoride)] coated w
ith a thin dense layer of regenerated cellulose. This composite membra
ne was fabricated by spin coating a cellulose acetate solution onto th
e membrane, followed by alkaline hydrolysis of the cellulose acetate c
oating to regenerate cellulose. The coated layer was physically charac
terized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and infrared (IR) spectr
oscopy. In addition, the water uptake into and permeation properties o
f macromolecules across the coated and uncoated membranes were studied
. A typical composite membrane coating was 0.8 +/- 0.2 mum thick, resu
lting in a molecular weight cutoff of approximately 40,000 daltons. Th
is composite membrane also demonstrated negligible diffusional lag tim
e for permeants, due to the thin diffusional barrier. (C) 1994 John Wi
ley & Sons, Inc.