Selectively-permeable ultrathin film composite membranes based on molecularly-imprinted polymers

Membrane-based chemical separations constitute an emerging research area and industrial technology. The objective is to develop membranes that selectively transport a particular target molecule and reject (or transport at much lower rates) other molecules that might be present in the feed solution. This paper describes a new approach for preparing highly selective composite membranes for pharmaceutical or biomedical separations. This approach entails photopolymerization of a "molecularly-imprinted polymer film" across the surface of a microporous support to form a new type of ultrathin film composite membrane. Composite membranes based on polymers that were imprinted on the bronchodilator theophylline were prepared. The rate and selectivity of theophylline transport across these ultrathin film composites were investigated.