PREPARATION OF CHARGED POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL ) GEL MEMBRANES WITH CONTROLLED LATTICE SIZES AND PERMEABILITY OF AMINO-ACIDS

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel membranes were prepared by UV irradiatio n to a mixture of PVA, dextran, and sensitizer, followed by removal of dextran by hydrolysis. Dextrans with various molecular weights were u sed to control the lattice size of the gel network. The lattice size o f the membrane was estimated from the swelling measurements to depend on the molecular weight and concentration of dextran. The PVA membrane with a controlled lattice size was cationized by aminoacetalization w ith 2,2-diethoxyethylamine. The charged membrane thus prepared was sup plied to measurements of amino acid permeability. In consequence, perm eability of amino acids depended on the lattice size of the membrane a nd the molecular weight of amino acids as well as the pH values of the solutions. This suggests that amino acids may be separated owing to t he differences in the molecular weight and charge through the charged PVA membrane with a controlled lattice size.