Optimization of fabrication conditions of high-efficiency ultrafiltration membranes using methods of uniform design and regression analysis

In this work, an experimental design with 18 represented treatment-points w as used to study the influences of one qualitative and three quantitative v ariables of the fabrication conditions of membranes on the membrane perform ances. The uniform design (UD) method was used to select 18 represented tre atment points from the experimental domain studied. The pure flux and the r etention abilities of each of the four protein references, namely the egg w hite lysozyme (15 kDa), egg white albumin (45 kDa), bovine serum albumin (6 7 kDa) and bovine gamma -globulin (150 kDa), of duplicate membranes prepare d at each of the selected 18 experimental points were determined. The data collected from each of the selected 18 experimental points were then regres sed with the studied casting conditions by using the SAS software. An accep table regression equation was obtained in most cases studied. Several high- efficiency ultrafiltration membranes for separating the 150- and 67-kDa mol ecules, 67- and 35-kDa molecules and 45- and 15-kDa molecules were successf ully prepared by following the predictions given by using the statistical a nalyses. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.