Modify the surface chemistry of commercial synthetic polymeric membranes for specific applications of novel surfaces with desired interfacial and/or affinity properties

Objective 1:

• Use photo-induced graft polymerization of vinyl monomers, self-assembled bolaamphiphiles, low temperature plasma, or wet chemistry to modify poly(ether sulfone) (PES) for low protein adhesion.

Approach 1:

• Use photo-oxidation to graft-polymerize monomers with 300 nm wavelength lamps to graft vinyl monomers onto PES without photo-sensitizers or initiators. See Figure 10, Figure 11, and Figure 12.
  
  

Objective 2:

• Prepare homogeneous surfaces using self-assembly.

Approach 2:

• Use bolaamphiphiles to self-assemble on amine functionalized polymeric surfaces and then react the exposed acid-azide groups to a desired chemical functionality.

Objective 3:

• Prepare affinity substrates (membranes or chromatographic media) through two-dimensional surface imprinting of template molecules.

Approach 3:

• Use our patented method of water-in-oil dispersion, UV cross-linking with template extraction to prepare 2-D surface imprints of desirable molecules. See Figure 13 and Figure 14.
  
  

Relevant Publications:

1. Taniguchi, M, Kilduff, J. E., and Belfort, G (2003) Low NOM Fouling Synthetic Membranes by UV-Assisted Graft Polymerization, J. Membrane Sci., in press.
2. Kilduff, J. E., Mattaraj, S., Sensibaugh, F., Pieracci, J. P., Yuan, Y. and Belfort G. (2002) Modeling Flux Decline During Nanofiltration of NOM with Poly(arylsulfone) Membranes Modified Using UV-Assisted Graft Polymerization. Environ. Engr. Sci., 19 (6), 477-495.
3. Pieracci, J, Crivello, J. V. and Belfort, G (2002) Increasing Membrane Permeability of UV-modified Poly(ether sulfone) Ultrafiltration Membranes, J. Membrane Sci., 202, 1-16.
4. Pieracci, J, Crivello, J. V. and Belfort, G (2002) UV-assisted graft polymerization of n-vinyl-2-pyrrolidinone onto poly(ether sulfone) ultrafiltration membranes using selected wavelengths, Chem Mater.14, 256-265.
5. Böhme, P., Vedantham, G., Przybycien T. and Belfort, G. (1999) Self-assembled monolayers on polymer surfaces: kinetics, functionalization and photopatterning, Langmuir, 15, 5323.
6. Han, M, Kane, R, Goto, M, and Belfort, G (2003) Discriminate surface molecular recognition sites on a microporous substrate: A new approach, Macromolecules, in press.

Sample results:

See Figures 10 - 14

Copyright © 2003 Georges Belfort, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute