MEMBRANE PROCESSABILITY OF POLY(ACRYLONITRILE-CO-METHYL METHACRYLATE) AND EVALUATION OF THE MEMBRANE AS A HEMODIALYSIS MEMBRANE

To prepare a hemodialysis membrane with good permeability for solutes and mechanical strength, hydrophobic copolymers of acrylonitrile and methyl methacrylate were synthesized as a membrane material. The effects of the conditions for membrane preparation using a solution casting method on the physical structure of the membrane prepared were investigated. The physical structure of the membrane was strongly dependent on the time of solvent evaporation, on polymer concentration in the casting solution and on the thickness of the casting solution. The membrane structure affected the permeability for solute and the mechanical strength of the membrane. The effect of the molecular weight of solute on the permeability was smaller compared with that for a cellulose membrane. © 1990, The Society of Polymer Science, Japan. All rights reserved.