Structure and Permeability of Dialysis Membranes Sterilized by Various Methods

Abstract

Appropriate design of dialysis membranes requires correct values of structural parameters such as pore radius, surface porosity, water content and tortuosity. It is impossible, however, to find the pore radius of dialy sis membranes using a mercury porosimeter or an electron microscope because the pores are only several tens of angstroms in radius. Consequently, diffu sional and convectional procedures such as the L_w method that uses both pure water permeability and water content, the L_w and P_m method which uses both solute and pure water permeability, and the σ method which uses the reflection coefficient, have been employed extensively to determine the pore radius of dialysis membranes. The structural parameters of symmetric membranes are determined from water content, solute and pure water permeability data based on the L_w and P_m method combined with the tortuous pore model we have pro posed. Determination of the structural parameters of microfiltration mem branes for plasma separation having huge pores by various methods is required to verify the method of characterizing dialysis membranes based on the tor tuous pore model. A dyeing method is also suitable for characterizing dialysis membranes of regenerated cellulose. Pore model studies using permeability and water content data for sterilized and treated membranes facilitate optimal design of dialysis membranes for clinical applications.