Ultrathin film composite membranes concepts

L.M. Moretto, P. Ugo, M. Zanata, P. Guerriero, and C.R. Martin, Nitrate biosensor based on the ultrathin-film composite membrane concept. Anal. Chem., 70(10), 2163-2166 (1998). 

This approach is based on a concept borrowed from the membrane-based separations area - ultrathin film composite membranes. Ultrathin film composite membranes consist of an ultrathin (less than ca. 100 nm-thick) polymer dcin coated onto the surface of a microporous support membrane. These composite membranes have made a tremendous impact on the field of membrane-bas separations because they can offer high permeate flux without sacrificing chemical selectivity. These two qualities (high permeate flux and high chemical selectivity) are also required in polymeric barrier layers in chemical sensors. Therefore, the ultrathin film composite membrane concept ould be applicable to sensor design. In this paper we present proof of this concept by riiowing the response characteristics of a prototype glucose sensor based on an ultrathin frlm composite membrane. 

---