Surface-modified polyethersulfone membranes and method of making thereof
The present disclosure is related to a polymeric membrane, comprising a modified surface obtained from coating with hydrophilic monomers and curing the hydrophilic monomers with actinic irradiation, preferably UV light, wherein the hydrophilic monomers comprise at least one amino moiety; at least one polyoxyalkylene unit; and at least one (meth)acrylate moiety.
1 . A polymeric membrane, comprising a modified surface obtained from coating with hydrophilic monomers and curing the hydrophilic monomers with actinic irradiation,
wherein the hydrophilic monomers comprise
(i) at least one amino moiety;
(ii) at least one polyoxyalkylene unit; and
(iii) at least one (meth)acrylate moiety;
wherein the hydrophilic monomer is a hydrophilic monomer according to any one of formulae (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), or (XIV):
wherein R is a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy,
wherein m and n may be different or the same,
wherein m and n may each be in a range of from 1 to 100;
wherein x, y, z may be different or the same,
wherein x, y, z may be each in a range of from 1 to 100.
2 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the polymeric membrane is selected from polymeric sulfone membranes, polyethylene membranes, polypropylene membranes, polyvinylidene difluoride membranes and polyacrylonitrile membranes.
3 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 2 , wherein the polymeric membrane is a polymeric sulfone membrane selected from polysulfone, polyethersulfone, and polyarylsulfone.
4 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one polyoxyalkylene unit of the hydrophilic monomers is selected from polyethers.
5 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic monomers comprise acrylate moieties in an amount of from 1 to 10.
6 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic monomers are obtained from reacting at least one polyoxyalkylamine with at least one (meth)acrylate compound.
7 . The polymeric membrane according to claim 1 , wherein that the amount of surface-bound IgG to the membrane is lower than 16 μg/cm 2 .
8 . A process for producing a surface-modified polymeric membrane, comprising the following steps:
(I) Providing a polymeric membrane;
(II) Applying a solution comprising hydrophilic monomers to the polymeric membrane; and
(III) Irradiating the polymeric membrane with actinic radiation,
wherein the hydrophilic monomers comprise
(i) at least one amino moiety;
at least one polyoxyalkylene unit; and
at least one (meth)acrylate moiety;
wherein the hydrophilic monomer is a hydrophilic monomer according to any one of formulae (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), or (XIV):
wherein R is a linear or branched alkyl or alkoxy,
wherein m and n may be different or the same,
wherein m and n may each be in a range of from 1 to 100;
wherein x, y, z may be different or the same,
wherein x, y, z may be each in a range of from 1 to 100.
9 . The process according to claim 8 , wherein the actinic radiation in step (III) is UV light.
10 . The process according to claim 8 , wherein irradiating with actinic radiation is carried out an irradiation dose of a mean value in the range of from 1 to 25 J/cm 2 .
11 . The process according to claim 8 , wherein irradiating with actinic irradiation is carried out at wavelengths greater than 300 nm.
12 . The process according to claim 8 , wherein the polymeric membrane is selected from polymeric sulfone membranes, polyethylene membranes, polypropylene membranes, polyvinylidene difluoride membranes and polyacrylonitrile membranes.
13 . A method for microfiltration, nanofiltration, or ultrafiltration, said method comprising contacting a solution or mixture to be filtered with the polymeric membranes according to claim 1 , wherein said method is for water purification, filtration in the production of food, filtration in the production of beverages, filtration in the electronics industry, medical filtration or filtration in the biopharmaceutical industry.