Surface charges and zeta potentials on polyethersulphone heteroporous membranes

Sensitive colorimetric detection for lysozyme based on the capture of a fixed thiol-aptamer on gold nanoparticles

A thiol-aptamer immobilized on gold nanoparticles enhances the stability of probes for detecting lysozyme with a LOD of 0.054 nM.

Study on transmembrane electrical potential of nanofiltration membranes in KCl and MgCl2 solutions

The transmembrane electrical potential (TMEP) across two commercial nanofiltration membranes (ESNA1-K and Filmtec NF) was investigated in KCl and MgCl(2) solutions. TMEP was measured in a wide range of salt concentrations (1-60 mol·m(-3)) and pH values (3-10) at the feed side, with pressure differences in the range of 0.1-0.6 MPa. A two-layer model based on the Nernst-Planck equation was proposed to describe the relation between TMEP and permeation flux. From the pattern of these curves, the information of membrane structure could be deduced. In the concentration range investigated, TMEP in KCl solutions was always positive and decreased as the salt concentration increased. The contribution of the membrane potential to the TMEP decreased. TMEP was greatly affected by the feed pH. When the feed pH increased, the mobility of cations increased, which indicated that the charges of NF membranes were more negative. The zero point of TMEP and the minimum of rejection in KCl solution were consistent and occurred at the isoelectric point of NF membranes, while in MgCl(2) solution the zero point of TMEP located at a higher pH value. The TMEP in MgCl(2) solutions changed its sign at a given concentration, and by calculating the transport number the location of the minimum rejection could be determined.

Electrokinetic and surface chemical characterizations of an irradiated microfiltration polysulfone membrane: Comparison of two irradiation doses

The effect of ionizing radiation on the surface and electrokinetic characteristic parameters for a porous membrane of pore size 0.2 mum is determined and correlated with the irradiation dose (10 and 80 J/kg). Changes in NaCl permeability and membrane system electrical resistance determined from diffusion and impedance spectroscopy measurements are consistent with the increase of membrane pore radii/porosity, in agreement with SEM micrographs and reported results. Low irradiation dose seems to clean the membrane surface of impurities, according to XPS results, but the increase of irradiation doses could affect surface roughness. Due to the relatively high pore radius, ion transport numbers are practically independent of radiation and dose, but irradiation slightly modifies the membrane solution interface by increasing its weakly electronegative character, which could be of interest in the ultrafiltration of proteins or macromolecules.