PREPARATION OF CHARGED POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL) GEL MEMBRANES WITH CONTROLLED LATTICE SIZES AND PERMEABILITY OF AMINO-ACIDS

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel membranes were prepared by UV irradiation to a mixture of PVA, dextran, and sensitizer, followed by removal of dextran by hydrolysis. Dextrans with various molecular weights were used to control the lattice size of the gel network. The lattice size of the membrane was estimated from the swelling measurements to depend on the molecular weight and concentration of dextran. The PVA membrane with a controlled lattice size was cationized by aminoacetalization with 2,2-diethoxyethylamine. The charged membrane thus prepared was supplied to measurements of amino acid permeability. In consequence, permeability of amino acids depended on the lattice size of the membrane and the molecular weight of amino acids as well as the pH values of the solutions. This suggests that amino acids may be separated owing to the differences in the molecular weight and charge through the charged PVA membrane with a controlled lattice size.