Permeability surface property

The second part is devoted to the characterization of polymers properties. Effective utilization of a polymeric material in agriculture and the food industry depends on their physical form, porosity, solvation behavior, diffusion, permeability, surface properties, chemical reactivity and stability, deterioration and stability, and mechanical properties. Any such features are crucial and depend on the conditions employed during preparation and must be considered during the design of a new reactive polymer. 

Modification of the membranes affects the properties. Cross-linking improves mechanical properties and chemical resistivity. Fixed-charge membranes are formed by incorporating polyelectrolytes into polymer solution and cross-linking after the membrane is precipitated (6), or by substituting ionic species onto the polymer chain (eg, sulfonation). Polymer grafting alters surface properties (7). Enzymes are added to react with permeable species (8—11) and reduce fouling (12,13). 

A surface is that part of an object which is in direct contact with its environment and hence, is most affected by it. The surface properties of solid organic polymers have a strong impact on many, if not most, of their apphcations. The properties and structure of these surfaces are, therefore, of utmost importance. The chemical stmcture and thermodynamic state of polymer surfaces are important factors that determine many of their practical characteristics. Examples of properties affected by polymer surface stmcture include adhesion, wettability, friction, coatability, permeability, dyeabil-ity, gloss, corrosion, surface electrostatic charging, cellular recognition, and biocompatibility. Interfacial characteristics of polymer systems control the domain size and the stability of polymer-polymer dispersions, adhesive strength of laminates and composites, cohesive strength of polymer blends, mechanical properties of adhesive joints, etc. 

The combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts of a molecule defines its amphiphilicity. A program has been described to calculate this property and calibrated against experimental values obtained from surface activity measurements [133]. These values can possibly be used to predict effect on membranes leading to cytotoxicity or phospholipidosis, but may also contain information, not yet unraveled, on permeability. Surface activity measurements have also been used to make eshmates of oral absorphon [126]. 

In addition, the calculation of many different ID, 2D and 3D descriptors is possible using a range of commercially available software packages, such as Sybyl, Cerius2, Tsar, Molconn-Z and Hybot. Several new descriptor sets are based on quantification of 3D molecular surface properties, and these have been explored for the prediction of, e.g., Caco-2 permeability and oral absorption. It is pointed out here that a number of these new descriptors are strongly correlated to the more traditional physico-chemical properties. 

Stenberg, P., Luthman, K., Artursson, P., Prediction of membrane permeability to peptides from calculated dynamic molecular surface properties, Pharm. Res. 1999, 16, 205-212. 

The geology not only provides the chemical source for trace-element mobility but it also provides the physical framework for water-flow paths. The structural properties of the rocks, the porosity, permeable fractures, provide for water-mineral reaction and element mobility. The geomorphology contributes to water-table levels, aquifer permeability, surface-water travel times, and time periods for erosion and sediment transport. Examples of... 

For example a polymer s interfacial characteristics determine chemical and physical properties such as permeability, wettability, adhesion, friction, wear and biocompatibility. " However polymers frequently lack the optimum surface properties for these applications. Consequently surface modification techniques have become increasingly desirable in technological applications of polymers. - ... 

Problems of desorption and loss of activity encountered with natural heparin have led numerous workers to explore synthetic heparin-like polymers or heparinoids, as reviewed by Gebelein and Murphy [475, 514, 515]. The blood compatibility of 5% blended polyelectrolyte/polyfvinly alcohol) membranes was studied by Aleyamma and Sharma [516,517]. The membranes were modified with synthetic heparinoid polyelectrolytes, and surface properties (platelet adhesion, water contact angle, protein adsorption) and bulk properties such as permeability and mechanical characteristics were evaluated. The blended membrane had a lower tendency to adhere platelets than standard cellulose membranes and were useful as dialysis grade materials. 

The changes in surface properties were analysed both by contact angles and gas permeabilities measurements. The contact angles values for a family of typical liquids are reported on Table 1. The resulting surface tensions, ys, for PE, EVOH and EVO-NO (34,... 

Abstract Polyolefins such as polyethylene, polypropylene and their copolymers have excellent bulk physical/chemical properties, are inexpensive and easy to process. Yet they have not gained considerable importance as speciality materials due to their inert surface. Polyethylene in particular holds a unique status due to its excellent manufacturer- and user-friendly properties. Thus, special surface properties, which polyethylene does not possess, such as printability, hydrophilicity, roughness, lubricity, selective permeability and adhesion of micro-organisms, underscore the need for tailoring the surface of this valuable commodity polymer. The present article reviews some of the existing and emerging techniques of surface modification and characterisation of polyethylene. 

In addition, the results of absorption studies for a series of (i-adrenoceptor blockers in vitro using Caco-2 monolayers and rat intestinal segments have been used to test new descriptors [55]. For this purpose, the authors calculated dynamic molecular surface properties considering all low-energy conformations. Molecular mechanics were used to consider the flexibility of the molecules, and the van der Waals volume (vdW) and water-accessible surface areas were also calculated (Table 4.18 and 4.19). When the dynamic polar vdW surface areas were used in regression analysis to describe cell permeability data obtained in Caco-2 cells and in rat ileum, excellent correlations were obtained (r2 = 0.99 and 0.92 respectively). 

Sadowski J, Gasteiger J, Klebe G (1994) Comparison of automatic three-dimensional model builders using 639 X-ray structures. J Chem Inf Comp Sci 34 1000-1008 Stenberg P, Luthman K, Artursson P (1999) Prediction of membrane permeability to peptides from calculated dynamic molecular surface properties. Pharm Res 16 205-212 Stenberg P, Luthman K, Ellens H et al. (1999) Prediction of the intestinal absorption of endothelin receptor antagonists using three theoretical methods of increasing complexity. Pharm Res 16 1520-1526... 

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