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Innovative dialysis membranes are needed for dialysis, which is the primary treatment for patients with end stage renal disease. In this study, we developed a polyacrylonitrile zeolite nanofiber composite membrane using an electrospinning process to adsorb uremic toxins through molecular sieve mechanism. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that the average diameter of the fiber fabricated with 10 wt % polyacrylonitrile was 673 nm and that of polyacrilonitirle-zeolite membranes were 2772419 nm. The creatinine adsorption behavior of 500-KOA (L), 720-KOA (Farrierite), 840-NHA (ZSM-5), and 940-HOA (Beta) zeolite powders were investigated. Among all the zeolites, 940-HOA zeolites showed the best performance. The creatinine adsorption capacity of 940-zeolite powders increased from 2234 mg/g in 50 mmol/L creatinine solution to 25423 mg/g in 625 mmol/L creatinine solution. The speed of adsorption was very quick; 0.025 g of 940-zeolite powders can eliminate 91% of 2 mmol creatinine in 5 min. The zeolites incorporated inside the membrane had higher creatinine adsorption capacity than free zeolites.

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There has been much recent interest in heat transport in nanostructures, and alsoin the structure, properties, and growth of biological materials. Here we present measurements of thermal properties of a nanostructured biomineral, ivory. The room-temperature thermal conductivity of ivory is anomalously low in comparison with its constituent components. Low-temperature (2–300 K) measurements ofthermal conductivity and heat capacity reveal a glass-like temperature dependenceof the thermal conductivity and phonon mean free path, consistent with increased phonon-boundary scattering associated with nanostructure. These results suggest that biomineral-like nanocomposite structures could be useful in the design of novel high-strength materials for low thermal conductivity applications.