Materials Horizons Blog

Conducting polymer nanoparticles enhance membrane permeability and but repel protein molecules

There is usually a trade-off between selectivity and liquid permeability when making an ultrafiltration membrane but new research from scientists in the US suggests this doesn’t have to be the case.

When designing a membrane to filter proteins from a liquid the aim is to increase the permeability of the membrane and to reduce the energy and time needed to achieve separation without forfeiting the selectivity of the membrane. Another goal is to eliminate the need to clean or replace the membrane by finding a way to prevent proteins from blocking the membrane’s pores and hindering its permeability.