Polymer-based membranes materials

Molecular Modeling, A Tool for the Knowledge-Based Design of Polymer-Based Membrane Materials... 

Basics of Molecular Modeling of Polymer-Based Membrane Materials S... 

Basically, three kinds of membranes are being studied inorganic oxide membranes, polymer-based membranes, and metal and metal alloy membranes. Some combinations of these are also used, such as impregnating inorganic oxide membranes with catalytic materials. A key term in this held is permselective membrane, which is a thin material that can allow a certain component of a mixture, but not other components, to pass through (or permeate) from one side to the other. 

Fig. 13.3 Worldwide changes of dialysis membrane properties observed between the years 2000 and 2013. Cellulose-based membranes have lost their importance and market share continuously. They are replaced by synthetic polymers as membrane materials. In addition flux has become an issue either. High-flux membranes, characterized by their ultraflltration coefficient to be UFC => 20 [ml/h-mmHg] are now used in more than two thirds of aU dialysis centers...

The reaction proceeds at room temperature and is greatly accelerated at higher temperatures (e.g. 85°C). Additional problems with HF are its effects in dissolving cathode materials, especially LiMnz04 [28, 29], and its reaction with SiOg (an important component of several polymer-based membranes and electrolytes) to produce S1F4 according to... 

Ceramic, Metal, and Liquid Membranes. The discussion so far implies that membrane materials are organic polymers and, in fact, the vast majority of membranes used commercially are polymer based. However, interest in membranes formed from less conventional materials has increased. Ceramic membranes, a special class of microporous membranes, are being used in ultrafHtration and microfiltration appHcations, for which solvent resistance and thermal stabHity are required. Dense metal membranes, particularly palladium membranes, are being considered for the separation of hydrogen from gas mixtures, and supported or emulsified Hquid films are being developed for coupled and facHitated transport processes. 

Ionic liquids have already been demonstrated to be effective membrane materials for gas separation when supported within a porous polymer support. However, supported ionic liquid membranes offer another versatile approach by which to perform two-phase catalysis. This technology combines some of the advantages of the ionic liquid as a catalyst solvent with the ruggedness of the ionic liquid-polymer gels. Transition metal complexes based on palladium or rhodium have been incorporated into gas-permeable polymer gels composed of [BMIM][PFg] and poly(vinyli-dene fluoride)-hexafluoropropylene copolymer and have been used to investigate the hydrogenation of propene [21]. 

Recently, the LbL technique has been extended from conventional nonporous substrates to macroporous substrates, such as 3DOM materials [58,59], macroporous membranes [60-63], and porous calcium carbonate microparticles [64,65], to prepare porous PE-based materials. LbL-assembly of polyelectrolytes can also be performed on the surface of MS particles preloaded with enzymes [66,67] or small molecule drugs [68], and, under appropriate solution conditions, within the pores of MS particles to generate polymer-based nanoporous spheres following removal of the silica template [69]. 

Other systems like electroporation have no lipids that might help in membrane sealing or fusion for direct transfer of the nucleic acid across membranes they have to generate transient pores, a process where efficiency is usually directly correlated with membrane destruction and cytotoxicity. Alternatively, like for the majority of polymer-based polyplexes, cellular uptake proceeds by clathrin- or caveolin-dependent and related endocytic pathways [152-156]. The polyplexes end up inside endosomes, and the membrane disruption happens in intracellular vesicles. It is noteworthy that several observed uptake processes may not be functional in delivery of bioactive material. Subsequent intracellular obstacles may render a specific pathway into a dead end [151, 154, 156]. With time, endosomal vesicles become slightly acidic (pH 5-6) and finally fuse with and mature into lysosomes. Therefore, polyplexes have to escape into the cytosol to avoid the nucleic acid-degrading lysosomal environment, and to deliver the therapeutic nucleic acid to the active site. Either the carrier polymer or a conjugated endosomolytic domain has to mediate this process [157], which involves local lipid membrane perturbation. Such a lipid membrane interaction could be a toxic event if occurring at the cell surface or mitochondrial membrane. Thus, polymers that show an endosome-specific membrane activity are favorable. 

What are the main material components needed in the design of a polymer-based ion-selective membrane What is the role of each of these components in the membrane ... 

---