Research and Development of Polysulfone Hollow Fiber Membrane for Controlled Protein Adsorption

Abstract

Polysulfone membrane is used for various applications for its superior separation performance and permeability. For hemodialyzer application, anti–thrombogenicity is required on the surface of polysufone membrane. It was found that NV polymer could significantly suppress platelet adhesion by controlling the mobility of bound water. Our product hemodialyzer “Toraylight” NV showed good biocompatibility in clinical practices. This biocompatibility was thought due to NV polymer containing on the membrane surface that suppressed fibrinogen adsorption. Therefore, it was hypothesized that exact control of polymer structure would increase the mobility of bound water and therefore enhance the suppression of all protein absorptions. Based on this thought, we successfully developed a second generation polymer that demonstrated improved anti–fouling ability for hemodialyzer application.