FLUID TRANSFER MEMBRANE USE THEREOF AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREFOR

• US 3,764,018 A
• Filed: 06/15/1971
• Issued: 10/09/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph Sylvan Byck, Richard Gregg Shaw
• Original Assignee: Joseph Sylvan Byck, Richard Gregg Shaw
• Inventors: Shaw, Richard Gregg, Byck, Joseph Sylvan
• Primary Examiner(s): Spear, Jr., Frank A.
• Application Number:
  US05/153,337
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 210/500 23/258.5 55/16,158
• US Class Current: 210/500.28
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0002 Organic membrane manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/00 Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or properties; Manufacturing processes specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/72 Macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds, not provided for in a single one of the groups B01D71/46 - B01D71/70 and B01D71/701 - B01D71/702

Abstract

A fluid transfer membrane comprising a thin-walled permeable polymeric film having a plurality of first orifices circumscribed by the inner surfaces of oblong shaped portions of said film and by outer surfaces of connecting portions joining said oblong shaped portions and having a plurality of second orifices circumscribed by the outer surface of said oblong shaped portions and by the inner surfaces of connecting portions of said film joining said oblong shaped portions at both ends thereof. This fluid transfer membrane is useful in chemical, biomedical and pharmaceutical fluid transfer operations.

Claims

2. A method for the manufacture of a fluid transfer membrane comprising a thin walled permeable polymeric film having a plurality of first orifices circumscribed by the inner surfaces of oblong shaped portions of said film and by the outer surfaces of connecting portions joining said oblong shaped portions and having a plurality of second orifices circumscribed by the outer surfaces of said oblong shaped portions and by the inner surfaces of connecting portions of said film joining said oblong portions at both ends thereof, which method comprises the sequential steps of:

a. coating a removable plate with a photoresistive chemical;

b. placing a mask selected from a template, a positive transparency or a negative transparency, with a plurality of opaque or translucent regions over said photoresistive coating;

c. exposing the mask to a radiant energy source;

d. removing the mask;

e. developing the photoresistive material to provide unprotective portions of said plate coincident with said regions;

f. removing plate material to form a template having a plurality of oblong shaped orifices coincident with said regions;

g. coating the template surfaces with a permeable polymeric film composition;

h. exposing at least one end surface of the template; and

i. removing the template material;

so that the remaining polymeric film defines said membrane.

3. A method for the manufacture of a fluid transfer membrane comprising a thin-walled gas permeable polymer film having a plurality of first orifices circumscribed by the inner surfaces of oblong shaped portions of said film and by the outer surfaces of connecting portions joining said oblong shaped portions and having a plurality of second orifices circumscribed by the outer surface of said oblong shaped portions and by the inner surfaces of connecting portions of said film joining said oblong portions at both ends thereof, which method comprises the sequential steps of:

a. coating an etchable plate with a photo-resistive chemical;

b. placing a negative with a plurality of opaque regions over said photoresistive coating;

c. exposing the negative to a radiant energy source;

d. removing the negative;

e. developing the photoresistive material to provide unprotective regions coincident with said opaque regions;

f. etching the plate with an inorganic acid to form a template having a plurality of oblong shaped orifices coincident with the opaque regions;

g. coating the template surfaces, circumscribed by the inner surface of the oblong shaped orifices and by the outer surface of the joining portions, with a permeable thermoplastic polymeric film composition;

h. cutting the coated template to expose the end surfaces of the template; and

i. etching the template with an inorganic acid to remove the template material;

so that the remaining polymeric film defines said membrane.

4. A method for the manufacture of a fluid transfer membrane comprising a thin walled gas permeable polymer film having a plurality of first orifices circumscribed by the inner surfaces of cylindrically shaped portions of said film and by the ouTer surfaces of connecting portions joining said cylindrically shaped portion and having a plurality of second orifices circumscribed by the outer surface of said cylindrically shaped portions and by the inner surfaces of connecting portions of said film joining said cylindrical portions at both ends thereof, which method comprises the sequential steps of:

a. coating an etchable plate with a photo-resistive chemical;

b. placing a negative with a plurality of dots over said photoresistive coating;

c. exposing the negative to a radiant energy source;

d. removing the negative;

e. developing the photoresistive material to provide unprotective regions coincident with said dots;

f. etching the plate to form a template having a plurality of cylindrically shaped orifices coincident with the dots;

g. coating the template surfaces, circumscribed by the inner surface of the cylindrically shaped orifices and by the outer surface of the joining portions, with a gas permeable polymeric film composition;

h. exposing the end surfaces of the template; and

i. etching the template to remove the template material;

so that the remaining polymeric film defines said membrane.