Pervaporation Membrane Exhibiting High Biocompatibility Based on PDMS/PEO Alternately Grafted Aromatic Polyamide

Abstract

Graft copolyamides containing amphiphilic components in the side chains, alternately grafted aromatic polyamides containing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) segments (PA-g-SEa), were prepared by a macromonomer method, which exhibited the high permeability of PDMS segment and the biocompatibility derived from the amphiphilic components. PA-g-SEa membranes were prepared by solvent casting method, and the gas permeability, the pervaporation property, the surface property and the biocompatibility of the obtained polymer membranes were investigated. From the results of permeation examinations of gases and aqueous ethanol solutions, PA-g-SEa membranes indicated the high permeability for most gases and liquids. In addition, the organic permselectivity was enhanced with the increase of PDMS segment length of these polymers. Furthermore, the amount of adhered platelets on PA-g-SEa membranes was much smaller than that on only PDMS grafted aromatic polyamide (PA-g-PDMS) membranes, which would be due to the effect of amphiphilic side chains.

Preparations and Characterizations of PDMS/PEO-Grafted Polyamide and Poly(amide-imide)

“…PA-g-SE was soluble only in NMP just after the reprecipitation in swollen with methanol and became insoluble in any organic solvents after completely dried. As described in our previous paper, PDMS/PEO alternatively grafted polyamide was soluble in THF before completely dried [5]. Therefore, it was suggested that the arrangement of side chains would affect the solubility of such graft copolymers.…”

“…In our previous works, it was found that PDMS grafted polyamide and polyimide exhibited the high mechanical strength and functionality, which were derived from rigid main chain and flexible PDMS side chain [3][4][5][6]. Recently, it was succeeded in the preparation of PDMS/PEO alternatively grafted polyamides, which showed the ethanol-permselectivity in pervaporation and the good biocompatibility to reduce the protein adhesion [5].…”

“…Recently, it was succeeded in the preparation of PDMS/PEO alternatively grafted polyamides, which showed the ethanol-permselectivity in pervaporation and the good biocompatibility to reduce the protein adhesion [5]. However, this polymer became insoluble in common organic solvents after completely dried, which would be due to the great regularity of backbone and branch components and the different solubility parameters of PDMS segment and PEO segment as well as polyamide.…”