Adsorption membranes, method of producing same and equipment, including the adsorption membranes

1. Adsorption membrane comprising a microporous polymer membrane having an essentially symmetrical pore structure, with adsorbent particles which are arranged essentially uniformly over the entire cross section of the membrane and have either a spherical or an irregular shape being incorporated into the pores,

wherein the adsorbent particles are agarose particles modified with a ligand, and

wherein the adsorption membrane is produced by a method comprising the following steps:

(a) Producing a polymer casting solution,

(b) Introducing modified adsorbent particles into the polymer casting solution,

(c) Bringing the resulting solution into a membrane shape,

(d) Introducing the shaped solution into a precipitation bath to carry out a controlled phase reversal to form a porous membrane filled with particles and

(e) Removing the remaining solvent.

2. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 wherein the membrane has a thickness of 50 μm to 500 μm.

3. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the pores have a maximum diameter of 0.1 μm to 10 μm.

4. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent particles have a diameter 5% to 80% smaller than the maximum pore diameter.

5. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the particles are either monodisperse or have a continuous particle size distribution.

6. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amount by weight of the adsorbent particles is 1 to 70%, based on the total membrane.

7. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 , wherein between 10% and 80% of the pore volume of the microporous polymer membrane is filled with adsorbent particles.

8. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the microporous polymer membrane comprises at least one polymer selected from the group consisting of polysulfone, polyether sulfone, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, acrylonitrile-PVC copolymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, polystyrene, polystyrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, polyolefins and polyamides.

9. Adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 wherein the ligand is protein A.

10. Method of producing an adsorption membrane comprising a microporous polymer membrane having an essentially symmetrical pore structure, wherein adsorbent particles are incorporated into the pores which particles are arranged essentially uniformly over the entire cross section of the membrane and have either a spherical or an irregular shape, wherein the adsorbent particles are agarose particles modified with a ligand, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

(a) Producing a polymer casting solution,

(b) Introducing modified adsorbent particles into the polymer casting solution,

(c) Bringing the resulting solution into a membrane shape,

(d) Introducing the shaped solution into a precipitation bath to carry out a controlled phase reversal to form a porous membrane filled with particles and

(e) Removing the remaining solvent.

11. Method as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the controlled phase reversal is performed through targeted adjustment of the ratio of precipitant and solvent for the polymer used.

12. Adsorber device comprising a housing which defines a volume, wherein the housing has a first open end and a second open end at a distance from the first open end and an adsorption membrane as claimed in claim 1 is arranged in a section of the volume.

13. Adsorber device as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the adsorption membrane is arranged directly on one of the two ends of the housing.

14. Centrifuge tube comprising an adsorber device as claimed in claim 12 or 13 .

15. Multiple microtiter plate comprising adsorber devices arranged side by side as claimed in claim 12 or 13 .