ARS | Publication request: The effect of polymer surface modification on polymer-protein interaction via interfacial polymerization and hydrophilic polymer grafting

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: July 12, 2009
Publication Date: July 15, 2009
Citation: Liu, S.X. 2009. The effect of polymer surface modification on polymer-protein interaction via interfacial polymerization and hydrophilic polymer grafting. 7th International Symposium on Polymer Surface Modification: Relevance to Adhesion. 00:000-000.

Technical Abstract: Protein membrane separation is prone to fouling on the membrane surface resulting from protein adsorption onto the surface. Surface modification of synthetic membranes is one way to reduce fouling. We investigated surface modification of polyethersulfone (PES) as a way of improving hydrophilicity of PES surface thereby reducing adsorption of protein. Hydrophilic polymer grafting onto Ultraviolet (UV)/ozone treated PES and grafting through thin film composite using interfacial polymerization were employed to improve hydrophilicity of commercial PES membranes. Poly(vinyl alcohol), polyethylene glycol, and chitosan were chosen as the grafting hydrophilic polymers. Modified PES membranes were characterized by contact angle, FTIR (Fourier transform spectroscopy), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Contact angles of modified PES membranes were reduced, ranging from 20% to 50% of that of the virgin PES membranes. Tapping mode AFM was used to examine changes in surface topography of modified PES membranes. The PES membranes modified by interfacial polymerization showed lower roughness (ranging from 1.2 nanometers (nm) or 1.2 nm to 2.0 nm) than that of the virgin PES membrane (2.1 nm) while modified PES by grafting onto ozone/UV treated PES showed elevated roughness (ranging from 7.0 nm to 25.7 nm). The results of these analyses indicated that the PES membranes were successfully enhanced hydrophilically through surface modification.