New porous perfluoropolyether membranes

A new family of porous fluorinated membranes was developed from perfluoropo lyethers (PFPEs). The PFFE-dimethacrylate (3) was dispersed in isopropanol to form a clear homogeneous solution, which after UV curing in polypropylen e molds formed a porous polymer disk. A series of 10 polymers was prepared with ratios of isopropanol to PFPE ranging from 1.3:1 to 0.2:1. The water c ontent of the membranes after hydration varied from 56 to 7% (w/w) and was directly proportional to the percentage of isopropanol used in the polymeri zation. However, the tensile elastic modulus, which ranged from 0.17 to 15 MPa, was inversely proportional to the water content. The high water conten t membranes 152 and 46% (w/w)] had a similar permeability to glucose, inuli n, and albumin, while the membranes with lower water contents of 37 and 25% displayed progressively lower permeability. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, In c.