Study of protein membranes formed by interfacial crosslinking using microfluidic flow
Abstract
Microfluidic membranes are used in myriad applications, including use in
microbioreactors. They serve as bio-catalyst surfaces or allow cell adhesion.
However, creating such membranes requires complex manufacturing processes
including multi-step self assemble. Recently, a nylon membrane was produced in
situ in a flow channel [17]. This process is completed rapidly (within a few
minutes), but such membranes are essentially only gas permeable. Control of the
thickness and inclusion of porosity is important for effective membrane permeably
for general solute transfer and could be sensitive for a given size range of
molecules. In the present work, a simplified in situ fabrication technique has been
used to produce a robust and novel protein micro-membrane. The proteins studied
were BSA and fibrinogen with an acyl chloride to achieve protein crosslinking.
Three acyl chloride crosslinkers were tested each crosslinker also generated
unique surface morphologies and cross section morphological structures.
Permeability of these membranes was tested by diffusion studies using dye
molecules as well as the electrochemically active.
A simplified approach of using ethanol to further modify the porosity of the
membrane was established. Antibacterial membranes were achieved by exposing
the protein membranes to copper sulphate solution. Tensile tests on the membranes
showed that there was variation in membrane strength that was related to the
crosslink or molecule type, and was also related to porosity.
Authors
Chang, HongCollections
- Theses [4222]