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Surface Antifouling Modification on Polyethylene Filtration Membranes by Plasma Polymerization
An-Li Hou1, Szu-Yi Wang2, Wen-Pin Lin2
1TaiDoc Corporation, B1-7F, No. 127, Wugong 2nd Rd., Wugu Dist., New Taipei City 24888, Taiwan.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|November 11, 2020
Summary
Plasma polymerization enhanced polyethylene (PE) membranes with ethylene oxide moieties, significantly reducing fouling from mammalian cells and proteins. Modified membranes exhibited improved filtration performance and excellent reusability.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Microporous polyethylene (PE) membranes are widely used in filtration but are susceptible to biofouling.
- Fouling by mammalian cells and proteins reduces membrane efficiency and lifespan.
- Surface modification is crucial for enhancing membrane performance in biological applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve the anti-fouling properties of microporous PE membranes.
- To investigate the efficacy of plasma polymerization using ethylene oxide vinyl ether (EO1V) and diethylene oxide vinyl ether (EO2V) precursors.
- To evaluate the impact of surface modification on membrane hydrophilicity and filtration performance.
Main Methods:
- Plasma polymerization of EO1V and EO2V onto PE membranes.
- Surface characterization using FTIR, SEM, and XPS.
- Evaluation of hydrophilicity via water contact angle measurements.
- Filtration experiments with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells and bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions.
Main Results:
- Uniform deposition of ethylene oxide-containing plasma polymers was confirmed.
- Modified membranes showed increased hydrophilicity and significantly reduced fouling.
- Filtration performance was approximately 1.45 times higher than pristine membranes.
- High flux recovery (80-90%) was achieved using DI water and NaOH, indicating good reusability.
Conclusions:
- Plasma polymerization is an effective single-step method for surface modification of PE membranes.
- The modified membranes demonstrate enhanced anti-fouling properties and improved filtration efficiency for biomolecules.
- The developed surface modification strategy offers a promising approach for reusable, high-performance filtration membranes in biomedical applications.
