A method for evaluating the transport and energy conversion properties of polymer biomembranes using the...

A basic parameter in non-equilibrium thermodynamics is the production of entropy (S-entropy), which is a consequence of the irreversible processes of mass, charge, energy, and momentum transport in various systems. The product of S-entropy production and absolute temperature (T) is called the dissipation function and is a measure of energy dissipation in non-equilibrium processes.

This study aimed to estimate energy conversion in membrane transport processes of homogeneous non-electrolyte solutions. The stimulus version of the R, L, H, and P equations for the intensity of the entropy source achieved this purpose.

The transport parameters for aqueous glucose solutions through Nephrophan® and Ultra-Flo 145 dialyser® synthetic polymer biomembranes were experimentally determined. Kedem-Katchalsky-Peusner (KKP) formalism was used for binary solutions of non-electrolytes, with Peusner coefficients introduced.

The R, L, H, and P versions of the equations for the S-energy dissipation were derived for the membrane systems based on the linear non-equilibrium Onsager and Peusner network thermodynamics. Using the equations for the S-energy and the energy conversion efficiency factor, equations for F-energy and U-energy were derived. The S-energy, F-energy and U-energy were calculated as functions of osmotic pressure difference using the equations obtained and presented as suitable graphs.

The R, L, H, and P versions of the equations describing the dissipation function had the form of second-degree equations. Meanwhile, the S-energy characteristics had the form of second-degree curves located in the 1st and 2nd quadrants of the coordinate system. These findings indicate that the R, L, H, and P versions of S-energy, F-energy and U-energy are not equivalent for the Nephrophan® and Ultra-Flo 145 dialyser® membranes.