Porous Membrane Gradient Structure for Virus Removal and Protein Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing virus removal membranes face challenges in achieving high permeation speed and efficient protein recovery while suppressing clogging and maintaining virus removability over time, particularly for small viruses like parvovirus.
Innovation Solution
A porous membrane with a hydrophobic polymer and water-insoluble hydrophilic polymer, featuring a dense layer and a gradient asymmetric structure where pore diameters increase from the downstream to the upstream portion, with a specific gradient index of 0.5 to 12.0, to enhance protein recovery and reduce clogging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a membrane with small pore diameter is used to remove small viruses like parvovirus, then virus removal safety is improved, but protein recovery efficiency deteriorates due to protein blocking the pores
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane is segmented into multiple functional layers with different pore sizes: a dense layer for virus removal and a porous support layer for structural stability. This allows the membrane to achieve both small virus removal capability and protein recovery efficiency by distributing different functions across different layers rather than relying on a single uniform pore size.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the membrane have different pore diameters tailored to specific functions. The dense layer has small pores (20-50 nm) for virus removal, while the porous support layer has larger pores for structural integrity and protein passage. This local differentiation allows simultaneous optimization of virus removal safety and protein recovery efficiency.
2Productivity
If a membrane with high permeation speed is used to improve productivity, then protein recovery efficiency is improved, but clogging occurs reducing sustained virus removability over time
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane structure is designed in advance with a dense layer positioned to intercept viruses before they reach the porous support layer. This preliminary action of virus capture in the dense layer prevents viruses from clogging the support layer during high-speed permeation, maintaining sustained virus removability while achieving high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dense layer acts as an intermediary barrier between the feed solution and the porous support layer. It mediates the interaction by capturing viruses and preventing them from reaching the support layer, thereby enabling high permeation speeds without clogging that would compromise sustained virus removal capability.
3Reliability
If the pore diameter is reduced to capture small viruses, then virus removal capability is improved, but the membrane becomes more susceptible to clogging by proteins
Solution Approach 1:
The membrane is divided into a dense layer with small pores for virus capture and a porous support layer with larger pores for structural stability and protein passage. This segmentation allows the dense layer to have small pores for virus removal capability while the support layer prevents protein clogging by providing an alternative pathway for proteins to pass through without blocking the critical virus-capture pores.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane combines a dense layer material optimized for virus capture with a porous support layer material optimized for structural integrity and anti-clogging properties. This composite structure integrates the advantages of both materials: the dense layer provides virus removal capability while the porous support layer resists protein clogging, achieving both objectives simultaneously.
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 membrane enables efficient protein recovery with reduced clogging and sustained virus removability by maintaining high flux over time, even at elevated pressures, effectively capturing small viruses like parvovirus.
Implementation Method 1
A membrane filtration method that is effective for all the viruses irrespective of their thermal and chemical characteristics has been received attention
Implementation Method 2
a water-insoluble hydrophilic polymer
Data Source
AI summary
A porous membrane containing a hydrophobic polymer and a water-insoluble hydrophilic polymer, the porous membrane having a dense layer in the downstream portion of filtration in the membrane, having a gradient asymmetric structure in which the average pore diameter of fine pores increases from the downstream portion of filtration toward the upstream portion of filtration, and having a gradient index of the average pore diameter from the dense layer to the coarse layer of 0.5 to 12.0.