Nanoscale modulation of the pore dimensions, size distribution and structure of a new polysulfone-based high-flux dialysis membrane

Current haemodialysis therapy modalities such as haemodiafiltration enhance the removal of larger uraemic solutes from the blood of patients on end-st age renal disease. A number of clinical investigations have demonstrated th e clinical benefits of such therapies in contributing towards better patien t survival rates and an improved quality of life. A fundamental prerequisite to the application of convective treatment modal ities is the availability of appropriate, technologically-advanced high-flu x dialysis membranes that are able to eliminate larger uraemic substances w ith high efficiency but without causing an excessive leakage of useful prot eins. A new membrane, Helixone(R), has been developed specifically to meet the present-day requirements of high-flux dialysis and haemodiafiltration t herapies involving large substitution rates. The application of nanotechnol ogy fabrication principles and procedures has enabled the development of a membrane having highly-defined inner, separating layer surface structures t hat offer minimal resistance to the removal of large molecular weight subst ances across the membrane; for the first time, pore size dimensions, pore s ize distribution and pore geometry, have been modulated and controlled at t he nanoscale level for Helixone(R). This paper describes the characterisation of the essential structure- and p ermeation-related parameters of the new membrane using a number of physical analytical techniques.