Nanofiber Composite Membrane for Liquid Filtration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional liquid filtration membranes face limitations in achieving high permeability and retention efficiency due to inherent trade-offs between these parameters, and existing nanofiber mats are unsuitable for critical filtration of liquid streams, especially in biopharmaceutical applications where bacteria, mycoplasma, and virus removal is crucial.

Innovation Solution

A composite liquid filtration platform is developed with a porous electrospun nanofiber layer positioned downstream on a porous membrane substrate, where the porous membrane acts as a prefilter and the nanofiber layer provides critical filtration, enhancing permeability and retention efficiency by optimizing the structure and placement of the nanofiber layer.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional porous membranes are used for liquid filtration, then retention of microorganisms can be achieved, but permeability is limited due to trade-off between retention and permeability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretention of microorganismsVSAvoidpermeability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The filtration system is segmented into two distinct functional layers: a porous membrane substrate for prefiltration and a nanofiber layer for critical filtration. This segmentation allows each layer to optimize its specific function, with the membrane handling larger particles and the nanofiber layer providing microorganism retention, thereby achieving high retention without sacrificing permeability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite structure combining a porous membrane substrate with a nanofiber layer. The membrane substrate provides mechanical support and prefiltration capability, while the nanofiber layer contributes high porosity and microorganism retention. This composite material approach enables the filtration medium to achieve both high permeability and high retention simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Productivity

If nanofiber mats are used for filtration, then porosity and permeability can be improved, but they are unsuitable for critical filtration of liquid streams

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovepermeabilityVSAvoidretention efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the advantages of nanofiber mats (high porosity and permeability) with the retention capability of porous membranes. The nanofiber layer is combined with the membrane substrate to form a composite structure that achieves both high permeability from the nanofibers and reliable microorganism retention from the integrated membrane system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of manufacture

If conventional filtration membranes are used, then manufacturing processes are established, but filtration capacity is limited due to flux limitations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing processVSAvoidfiltration capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention employs highly porous nanofiber materials with porosity significantly higher than conventional filtration membranes. This high porosity enables increased flux and filtration capacity while maintaining structural integrity and retention performance, thereby overcoming the flux limitations of conventional membranes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The composite platform achieves higher permeability and retention of microorganisms like bacteria, mycoplasma, and viruses, with improved filtration capacity and efficiency compared to conventional nanofiber mats or porous membranes alone, making it suitable for biopharmaceutical applications.

Implementation Method 1

the porous membrane is situated upstream of the polymeric nanofiber layer... the porous membrane acts as a prefilter... to remove particles from a liquid stream

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

the nanofiber layer is positioned downstream from the porous membrane, and is used as the retentive layer for critical filtration to provide biosafety assurance, and is responsible for capturing microorganisms like bacteria, mycoplasma or viruses

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSize-exclusion filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS11154821B2Nanofiber containing composite membrane structures

Publication Date: 2021.10.26 EMD MILLIPORE CORP

AI summary

A composite liquid filtration platform including a composite filtration medium featuring an electrospun polymeric nanofiber layer collected on a porous membrane. When in use, the porous membrane acts as a prefilter used upstream from the polymeric nanofiber layer to remove particles from a liquid stream flowing through the composite filtration structure. The nanofiber layer, positioned downstream from the porous membrane, is used as the retentive layer for critical filtration to provide biosafety assurance, and is responsible for capturing microorganisms like bacteria, mycoplasma or viruses. The composite liquid filtration platform provided herein exhibits permeability advantages over conventional porous membranes or nanofiber mats spun on coarse non-wovens.