Microfiltration of protein solutions at thin film composite membranes

An experimental study of the interaction of the enzyme yeast alcohol dehydrogenase (YADH) with polysulfone thin film composite microfiltration membranes (Dow-Danmark) has been carried out. It was found that the membranes adsorbed only 3/4 of a monolayer of the enzyme under the conditions studied. Even so, under filtration conditions, the membrane permeation rate decreased continuously with time. This decrease in permeation rate was due neither to concentration polarisation nor to protein adsorption alone. However, it could be quantified using the standard blocking filtration law, which describes a decrease in pore volume due to deposition of protein in the interior structure of the membrane. Reversal of the membrane, so that the supporting matrix faced the feed solution, gave more stable permeation rates. Implications for the microfiltration of industrial fermentation broths are discussed.     

Proton ionizable crown compounds. 18. Comparison of alkali metal transport in a H2O-CH2Cl2-H2O liquid membrane system by four proton-ionizable macrocycles containing the dialkylhydrogenphosphate moiety

The macrocycle-mediated fluxes of alkali, alkaline earth, and several transition metal cations have been determined and compared in a H₂O-CH₂Cl₂-H₂O liquid membrane system using four water-insoluble macrocycles containing a dialkylhydrogenphosphate moiety. Transport of alkali metal cations by these ligands was greatest from a source phase pH = 12 or above into an acid receiving phase (pH = 1.5). Very low fluxes were observed for the transport of the alkaline earth cations and all transition metal ions studied except Ag⁺ and Pb²⁺ which were transported reasonably well by these new macrocycles.Deceased: September 5, 1987.     

Fouling and protein adsorption effect of low-temperature plasma treatment of membrane surfaces

Adsorption of proteins and the effect of the chemical nature of membrane surfaces on protein adsorption were investigated using¹⁴C-tagged albumin and several microporous membranes (polyvinilydene fluoride, PVDF; nylon; polypropylene, PP; and polycarbonate, PC). The membrane surfaces were modified by exposing them to low-temperature plasma of several different monomers (n-butane, oxygen, nitrogen alone or as mixtures) in a radiofrequency plasma reactor. Transients in the permeability of albumin solutions through the membranes and changes in flux of distilled water through the membranes before and after adsorption of albumin were used to investigate the role of protein adsorption on membrane fouling. The results show that the extent of adsorption of albumin on hydrophobic membranes was considerably more than that on hydrophilic membranes. The hydrophilic membranes were susceptible to electrostatic interactions and less prone to fouling. A pore-blocking model was successfully used to correlate the loss of water flux through pores of defined geometry     

MORPHOLOGIES AND GAS SEPARATION PROPERTIES OF MELT-SPUN ASYMMETRIC POLY(4-METHYL-1-PENTENE)HOLLOW FIBER MEMBRANES*

Poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) hollow fiber membranes were prepared by the melt-spun and cold-stretch(MSCS) method. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the section and surface structures of themembranes with special asymmetric structure. The preliminary results of gas permeation measurements indicated that the resultant hollow fiber membranes have the potential ability for oxygen/nitrogen separation.     

LB膜诱导Ba(NO3)2晶体取向生长

In this work, Ba(NO₃)₂ crystals with single crystal face were induced by using the the method of bio-mimetic mineralization and double LB films of behenic acid (BA) as the template. The crystals were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The crystals were observed in regular square shape with uniform size about 5～8 μm by SEM, and they were found by XRD to grow along the (111) plane. From these experiments, we can conclude that the good selection of the (111) crystal face of Ba(NO₃)₂ is due to the electrostatic interactions , the match between this crystal face and the definite lattice structure of the LB films.     

Acetylation and molecular mass effects on barrier and mechanical properties of shortfin squid chitosan membranes

Chitosan samples with different N-deacetylation levels were obtained from β-chitin under heterogeneous alkali conditions. Oxidative depolymerisation was performed to attain low-acetylated chitosan samples with different molecular mass. Water vapour permeability, membrane swelling and tensile mechanical properties were analysed in plasticized self-supporting chitosan membranes. The main purpose was to describe unambigously the effect of the biopolymer molecular mass and acetylation degree on these properties. Commercially available chitosan samples derived from α-chitin were also studied for comparison. The equilibrium degree of swelling in water and the water vapour permeability increase by increasing the molecular mass or the degree of acetylation. Regarding the effect on the mechanical properties, generally harder and tougher membranes were obtained for chitosans with higher molecular mass or lower acetylation degree. These observations are tentatively explained based on the different structural characteristics of the polymer and can lead to a better understanding of the tools necessary to tailor a specific type of chitosan membrane.     

Time‐resolved Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection spectroscopy for the measurement of molecular diffusion in polymers

Over the past 2 decades, the use of time‐resolved Fourier transform infrared/attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectroscopy for the measurement of diffusion in polymers has grown. ATR is a powerful technique for the measurement of diffusion in polymers because it is an in situ technique that is relatively inexpensive, provides reliable short‐time data, and provides a wealth of information at the molecular level. This article highlights the technique and its application to numerous studies, ranging from the diffusion of drugs in human skin to chemical warfare agents in barrier materials. In addition to these topics, recent studies with ATR to quantify and model molecular interactions during the diffusion process are reviewed. In the future, the ATR technique may have an impact on a variety of emerging fields in which diffusion in polymers plays an important role, such as fuel cells, membrane separation, sensors, and drug delivery. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2794–2807, 2003     

Control of calcium carbonate polymorphism and morphology through biomimetic mineralization by means of nanotechnology

In vitro biomimetic mineralization by means of nanotechnology allows the formation of calcium carbonate polymorphs at low temperatures (<25 degrees C) under a CO(2) atmosphere of 500-1500 ppm. A two-dimensional zinc-ion ordered array (zinc array), which acts as an active-site mimic of carbonic anhydrase, has been prepared by immersing the self-organized monolayer of 3-(2-imidazolin-1-y)propyltriethosilane on mica (ImSi substrate) into aqueous zinc solution. The zinc array mounted on the ImSi substrate catalyzed the conversion from CO(2) to HCO(3) (-), and accelerated the formation of calcium carbonate. In situ X-ray diffraction data of the formed calcium carbonate on the poly(L-aspartate)-coated chitin substrate (pAsp substrate), with calcium ion-recognition sites, demonstrated that the interaction between the zinc array and pAsp substrates formed both vaterite and calcite at low temperature (15 degrees C) and mainly vaterite at 25 degrees C; this interaction also controlled the morphology of calcium carbonate formed on pAsp substrate.     

Antifouling ultrafiltration membrane composed of polyethersulfone and sulfobetaine copolymer

A new random copolymer was synthesized by reacting hydrophilic N,N-dimethyl-N-methacryloxyethyl-N-(3-sulfopropyl) (DMMSA) with hydrophobic butyl methacrylate (BMA) through a conventional radical polymerization. The as-prepared sulfobetaine copolymer (DMMSA–BMA) was blended with polyethersulfone (PES) to fabricate antifouling ultrafiltration membrane for BSA separation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of blend membranes revealed concentration of sulfobetaine groups at the membrane surfaces that endowed the membrane with higher hydrophilicity and better antifouling property. For the membrane with 8.0 wt% DMMSA–BMA copolymer concentration (No. 5), irreversible fouling has been considerably reduced and the flux recovery rate of the blend membrane reached as high as 82.8%. Furthermore, the blend membrane could effectively resist BSA fouling in a wide pH range from 4.0 to 8.0.     

Schiff碱配合物模拟酶催化性能的温度效应研究

研究了新型Schiff碱双锰配合物在模拟酶催化亚碘酰苯单加氧化环已烷反应及 被亚碘酰苯氧化破坏反应中的温度效应。结果表明，在模拟酶催化反应体系中同时 存在催化环已烷单加氧反应及催化剂的氧化破坏反应；催化反应速率及氧化破坏反 应速率均随反应温度升高有规律地增大，但氧化破坏反应比催化反应对反应温度更 敏感；催化反应总产率一般随反应温度升高而降低；最适宜的反应温度为25 ℃。