Amphiphilic enzyme membranes .1. Preparation of amphiphilic membranes using poly(HEMA) and poly(HEMA-co-St)

Copolymers of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and styrene (St) with various HEMA contents were synthesized in this investigation. Amphiphilic membranes were fabricated by using one layer of hydrophilic poly(HEMA) and one layer of hydrophobic poly(HEMA-co-St) in the presence of a photosensitizer. The oxygen permeability and the water penetration of the amphiphilic membranes with various HEMA contents were estimated. The dependence of the mole fraction of HEMA on hydrophilicity and binding forces on the surface of the amphiphilic membranes were investigated. Characteristics of the amphiphilic membranes on the enzyme immobilization were compared with those of traditional two-layer systems. The response time, stability and pH dependences of the amphiphilic enzyme membrane were also evaluated.