Hydrophilic membrane and process for making the same

Abstract

A process for imparting hydrophilic properties to a polymeric membrane by exposing the membrane to an acrylate monomer containing hydrophilic segments, such as ethylene oxide, and a hydrophilic functional group, a diacrylate monomer containing hydrophilic functional groups, and an initiator for facilitating crosslinking and polymerization reactions.

1 . A solution for imparting hydrophilic characteristics to a polymeric membrane, comprising: 
 (a) a monofunctional acrylate monomer containing substantially hydrophilic segments and a hydrophilic functional group;    (b) a difunctional diacrylate monomer containing hydrophilic functional groups; and    (c) an initiator for facilitating polymerization and crosslinking of the monofunctional acrylate and difunctional diacrylate monomers.    
     
     
         2 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic segments are ethylene oxide.  
     
     
         3 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the functional group of the monofunctional acrylate monomer is a hydroxyl group.  
     
     
         4 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an alkali.  
     
     
         5 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising an alcohol.  
     
     
         6 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the monofunctional acrylate monomer is nEGMA, where n is a variable number of greater magnitude than one.  
     
     
         7 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the difunctional diacrylate monomer is TEGDA.  
     
     
         8 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the difunctional diacrylate monomer is PEG(200) dimethacrylate.  
     
     
         9 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the difunctional diacrylate monomer is PEG(400) dimethacrylate.  
     
     
         10 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the difunctional diacrylate monomer is PEG(600) dimethacrylate.  
     
     
         11 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the initiator is sodium persulfate.  
     
     
         12 . A solution as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the initiator is ammonium persulfate.