Membrane surface modification

摘要

Processes for preparation of macroporous membranes having unusually high equilibrium protein binding capacities are described. Membranes include a self-supporting porous membrane substrate and a grafted polymeric film on the pore surfaces of the substrate. A polymeric film may be grafted to the porous membrane substrate using surface-initiated polymerization. The grafted polymer chains within the polymeric film can act as molecular ‘brushes’ or ‘tentacles’ in solution and can contain one or more capture chemistries for biomolecules. Membranes can be used in the separation and purification of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, virus or virus-like particles, endotoxins, and the like.

主权项

1. A method of forming an ion-exchange membrane, comprising:
providing a porous substrate having pore surfaces, wherein the substrate is self-supporting; anchoring initiator molecules to the pore surfaces by immersing the substrate into an initiator functionalization solution to form initiator sites on the substrate; and grafting a polymer film from the initiator sites via surface-initiated activators regenerated by electron transfer-atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET-ATRP) or activators generated by electron transfer-atom transfer radical polymerization (AGET-ATRP) by immersing the substrate into a polymerization solution and adding a reducing agent to the solution, wherein the membrane has a protein binding capacity in excess of about 100 milligrams per milliliter.