Novel membranes and process for making them

Claim 2

A membrane which is composed of at least two different polymers, at least one of which is a film former, and at least another of which is a water insoluble pore former which if cast alone would form large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material; said membrane comprising a microporous surface of well defined pore shapes, which surface is integrally and continuously connected to a pore support of the same material as said surface, in which pore support there exists a non-exact distribution of materials.

Claim 3

A membrane according to claim 1, wherein at least the majority of the pores are characterized by at least one of following characteristics (i), (ii) and (iii), namely: (i) relatively larger cross-sectional area on the microporous surface and tapering to a relatively smaller cross-section towards the interior of the membrane; (ii) a cross-sectional shape at said surface approximating to circles or ellipses, or to segments, crescents or annuli derived from such circles or ellipses: (iii) diameters which lie within the range of from 0.01 to 20 microns, preferably from 0.01 to 10 microns.

Claim 4

A membrane according to claim 2, wherein said pores occupy not less than about 10% of the area of said microporous surface.

Claim 5

A membrane according to claim 3, wherein said pores occupy not less than about 50% of the area of said surface.

Claim 6

A membrane according to claim 1, and mounted upon a discrete support layer.

Claim 7

A membrane according to claim 1, which contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of anionic groups, cationic groups and neutral hydrophilic groups, on its external and internal surfaces.

Claim 8

A membrane according to claim 1, which contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of polymeric anionic groups, polymeric cationic groups and polymeric neutral hydrophilic groups, on its external and internal surfaces.

Claim 9

A membrane according to claim 1, wherein at least one polymeric constituent of the membrane contains chemically incorporated therein a monomeric, oligomeric or polymeric biologically active material.

Claim 10

A membrane which has a structure which approximates to that of an array of sintered particles, and which is composed of at least two different polymers, at least one of which is a film former, and at least another of which is a water insoluble pore former which if cast alone would form large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material; said membrane comprising a microporous surface of well defined pore shapes, which surface is integrally and continuously connected to a pore support of the same material as said surface, in which pore support there exists a non-exact distribution of materials.

Claim 11

A membrane which has a structure which approximates to that of an array of sintered particles, and which is composed of at least two different polymers, at least one of which is a film former, and at least another of which is a water insoluble pore former which if cast alone would form large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material; said membrane comprising a microporous surface of well defined pore shapes, which surface is integrally and continuously connected to a pore support of the same material as said surface, in which pore support there exists a non-exact distribution of materials.

Claim 12

A membrane according to claim 1, which has been prepared by a process which comprises casting the membrane from a solution comprising a mixture of at least one pore-forming polymer and at least one film-forming polymer, and a solvent for the mixture of polymers, wherein the at least one pore-forming polymer is one which if cast alone would contract to form either large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material.

Claim 13

A membrane according to claim 8, which has been prepared by a process which comprises the steps of: casting the membrane from a solution comprising a mixture of at least one pore-forming polymer and at least one film-forming polymer, and a solvent for the mixture of polymers, wherein the at least one pore-forming polymer is one which if cast alone would contract to form either large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material, and wherein at least one polymer used in forming the membrane comprises reactive functions; and replacing the reactive functions by reaction with a substance containing one or more reactive members selected from the group consisting of primary amino, secondary amino, tertiary amino, OH and SH, and said substance being one which is selected from the group consisting of monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric biologically active materials.

Claim 14

A process for preparing a microporous membrane which comprises casting the membrane from a solution comprising a mixture of at least one water insoluble pore-forming polymer and at least one film-forming polymer, and a solvent for the mixture of polymers, wherein the at least one pore-forming polymer is one which if cast alone would contract to form either large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material.

Claim 15

A process for preparing a microporous membrane which comprises casting the membrane from a solution comprising a mixture of at least one water insoluble pore-forming polymer and at least one film-forming polymer, and a solvent for the mixture of polymers, wherein the at least one pore-forming polymer is one which if cast alone would contract to form either large pores or a non-uniform distribution of material.

Claim 16

Process according to claim 12, wherein the solution comprises a water-miscible solvent and the membrane is cast in water, or in an aqueous solution or mixture.

Claim 17

Process according to claim 12, wherein the solution comprises additionally a liquid which is a non-solvent for the mixture of polymers.

Claim 18

Process according to claim 12, wherein the solution comprises additionally at least one hydrophilic polymer.

Claim 19

Process according to claim 12, wherein at least one polymer used in forming the membrane comprises reactive functions, such as those selected from the group consisting of reactive halogens, glycidyl, isocyanato and isothiocyanato, which are incorporated in the membrane structure, and are replaceable by cationic, anionic or hydrophilic neutral groups.

Claim 20

Process according to claim 16, wherein the reactive functions are reactive halogens in the form of haloalkyl groups.

Claim 21

Process according to claims 17, wherein subsequently to membrane formation, the reactive functions are replaced by reaction with a monomeric or polymeric substance containing one or more reactive members selected from the group consisting of primary amino, secondary amino, tertiary amino, OH and SH.

Claim 22

Process according to claim 18, wherein the said substance is a tertiary amine, and the reaction product is a membrane containing quaternary ammonium groups.

Claim 23

Process according to claim 18, wherein the said substance is a at least one polymer containing --NH-- groups, and the reaction product is a cross-linked membrane, and wherein in said --NH-- groups one free valence is attached to said at least one polymer, and the other free valence is attached to a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom, a substituent group and said at least one polymer.

Claim 24

Process according to claim 18, wherein said substance is selected from the group consisting of monomeric, oligomeric and polymeric biologically active materials.

Claim 25

Process according to claim 12, wherein the membrane is cast without the use of a support.

Claim 26

Process according to claim 12, wherein the membrane is cast onto a discrete support.

Claim 27

Process according to claim 23, wherein said discrete support in selected from the group consisting of woven and nonwoven polyesters, polyolefins, poly(fluorinated alkenes), cellulosics, nylons, vinyl chloride homo- and co-polymers, polystyrene, glass fibers, ceramics and porous metals.

Claim 28

Process according to claim 24, wherein the membrane is subsequently removed from said discrete support.

Claim 29

Process according to claim 12, wherein the polymer starting materials satisfy at least one of the conditions (a) and (b), namely: (a) the pore-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of halomethylated polyphenyleneoxide, brominated polyphenyleneoxide, polystyrene derivatives, nitropolystyrene, perfluoro polymers, silicone polymers, nitrated polyphenyleneoxide, nitrated polysulfones, polyisobutylenos, polyisoprenes, and halogenated polysulfones; and (b) the film-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysulfones, sulfonated polysulfones, chloromethylated polysulfones, polytetrafluoroethylene-based copolymers, polychloro-trifluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride homopolymer, vinylidene fluoride copolymers with hexafluoropropylene or chlorotrifluoroethylene, polyacrylonitrile, copolymers of acrylonitrile with vinyl acetate or with acrylic or methacrylic acid, nylon 6, nylon 6,6, polyether sulfones, polysulfones made with Bisphenol A, polyimideamides, polyamides, polyetherphenylketones, polyimides, polyepoxy compounds, polycarbonates and oxidation polymers.

Claim 30

Process according to claim 12, wherein the polymer starting materials satisfy at least one of the conditions (a) and (b), namely: (a) the pore-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of halomethylated polyphenyleneoxide, brominated polyphenyleneoxide, polystyrene derivatives, halomethylated polystyrene, nitropolystyrene, perfluoro polymers, silicone polymers, nitrated polyphenyleneoxide, nitrated polysulfones, polyisobutylenes, polyisoprenes, and halogenated polysulfones; and (b) the film-forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysulfones, sulfonated polysulfones, chloromethylated polysulfones, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinylidene chloride, polytetrafluoroethylene-based copolymers, polychlorotrifluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride homopolymer, vinylidene fluoride copolymers with hexafluoropropylene or chlorotrifluoroethylene, cellulosic esters and ethers, polyacrylonitrile, copolymers of acrylonitrile with vinyl acetate or with acrylic or methacrylic acid, nylon 6, nylon 6,6, polyether sulfones, polysulfones made with Bisphenol A, polyimideamides, polyamides, polyetherphenylketones, polyimides, polyepoxy compounds, polycarbonates and oxidation polymers.

Claim 31

Process according to claim 12, wherein the solvent for the polymers is selected from the group consisting of N-methypyrrolidone, pyrrolidone, dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylacetamide, and dimethylformamide.

Claim 32

Process according to claim 13, wherein said nonsolvent is selected from the group consisting of acetone, ethanol, methanol, butanol, ethyl acetate, wnter, formamide and ethylene glycol.

Claim 33

Process according to claim 12, wherein the solution comprises additionally at least one salt.

Claim 34

Process according to claim 30, wherein said salt is selected from the group consisting of LiHCO 3 , LiCl, MgCl 2 , MgClO 4 , ZnCl 2 , ZnBr 2 and ZnI 2 .

Claim 35

Process according to claim 12, wherein the membrane is formed into a tubular configuration.