Polyurethane-Polyoxazoline Membrane Composition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing compositions for forming synthetic membranes face challenges in reproducibility, mechanical properties, and analyte diffusivity, with strong solvents like DMAc or DMF posing health and safety concerns and potentially dissolving polymer layers, limiting their use in sensor applications.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising 90-99.5 wt% solvent and 0.5-10 wt% polymer mixture, where the polymer mixture consists of 60-99.5 wt% polyurethane and 0.5-40 wt% free hydrophilic polymer, with the polyurethane formed from a reaction product of diisocyanate, polymeric aliphatic diol, and optional chain extender, and the hydrophilic polymer being polyoxazoline, enhancing film formation, mechanical properties, and compatibility with sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If strong high boiling point organic solvents like DMAc or DMF are used to form membranes from polymer blends, then film formation and mechanical properties are improved, but health and safety concerns arise and solvent removal becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameter from strong high boiling point solvents (DMAc, DMF) to weaker, more volatile solvents (ethyl acetate, ethanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran). This parameter change maintains film formation capability and mechanical properties while eliminating health and safety concerns and enabling easier solvent removal through volatility.
2Manufacturing precision
If strong solvents like DMAc or DMF are used to form membranes, then film formation is improved, but the solvents may dissolve polymer layers on sensors, restricting their use in sensor applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the solvent parameter to weaker solvents (ethyl acetate, ethanol, isopropanol, tetrahydrofuran) that have lower solvating power. These solvents maintain adequate film formation capability while being compatible with sensor polymer layers, thus expanding adaptability to sensor applications.
3Reliability
If blends of dissimilar polymers like PVP and polyurethane are used to form membranes, then hydrophilic domains for analyte diffusion control are created, but microphase separation occurs reducing reproducibility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses blends of more chemically similar polymers (polyurethane with polyether or polyester soft segments combined with polyethylene glycol or polyoxazoline) that exhibit less microphase separation. This increases homogeneity of the blend, improving manufacturing precision and reproducibility while maintaining hydrophilic domains for analyte diffusion control.
4Reliability
If blends of hydrophilic polymer and hydrophobic polyurethane are used to form membranes, then analyte diffusion control is achieved, but mechanical properties and film quality are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates composite material systems where polyurethanes with specific soft segments (polyether or polyester) are combined with hydrophilic polymers (polyethylene glycol or polyoxazoline). The composite achieves synergistic effects: the polyurethane provides mechanical strength while the hydrophilic polymer provides analyte diffusion control, overcoming the limitations of simple blends.
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 solution improves film formation reproducibility, mechanical properties, anti-fouling capabilities, health and safety by easier solvent removal, and compatibility with sensors, while maintaining analyte permeability and oxygen permeability, thus addressing the limitations of prior art.
Implementation Method 1
a free hydrophilic polymer comprising a polyoxazoline
Implementation Method 2
maintaining analyte permeability and oxygen permeability
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are compositions that may be useful for forming synthetic membranes, methods of forming membranes therefrom, and membranes. In an embodiment, a membrane comprises a free hydrophilic polymer comprising a polyoxazoline, and a polyurethane, the polyurethane comprising a backbone comprising the reaction product of a diisocyanate, a polymeric aliphatic 5 diol, and optionally a chain extender.