COMPOSITE BIOCOMPATIBLE ARTICLES MADE FROM DOPED POLYSULPHONE FILAMENTS AND A PROCESS FOR MAKING THE SAME

Abstract

This invention relates to articles of high permeability and flux. Particularly useful in dialysis made from filaments produced from a composition of polysulphones and Vitamin ETPGS. This invention also includes a process for producing such articles.

Claims

1-10. (canceled)

11. A process for preparing a composite hollow fiber article comprising a mixture of polysulphone and Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate incorporated therein, comprising: mixing a solution of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate with a solution of polysulphone in an organic solvent to produce a homogenous dope solution; extruding said dope solution coaxially with water through spinnerets to form hollow filaments; passing said filaments through an airgap; coagulating said filaments; and rinsing and winding said filaments and forming the composite hollow fiber article.

12. The process of claim 11, wherein the polyethylene glycol of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate has a molecular weight in the range of 400 to 40000 Da and the Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate is present in the range of 1 to 40 wt %.

13. The process of claim 11, wherein the extruding step is at a flow rate of the dope solution and water in the range of 0.5 to 10 ml/min and the airgap is between 0.1 to 100 cm.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein the step of coagulating said filaments is carried out in a medium selected from water and lower alcohols of the range C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 or a mixture thereof at a temperature range of 5 to 30? C.

15. The process of claim 11, wherein the organic solvent is selected from N-methylpyrrolidone, dimethylacetamide, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulphoxide and tetrahydrofuran.

16. The process of claim 11, further comprising rinsing said filaments.

17. The process of claim 16, wherein said filaments are rinsed with water at a temperature of 25? C. to 50? C.

18. The process of claim 16, further comprising winding said filaments.

19. The process of claim 18, wherein said filaments are wound at a speed of 1 to 60 m/min.

20. The process of claim 11, wherein the homogenous dope solution consists of a mixture of an organic solvent, 25 parts by weight polysulphone, and 10 to 25 parts by weight Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate incorporated therein.

21. The process of claim 11, wherein the homogenous dope solution consists of a mixture of 55 to 65 parts by weight of an organic solvent, 25 parts by weight of polysulphone, and 10 to 20 parts by weight of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate incorporated therein.

22. The process of claim 11, wherein the homogenous dope solution consists of a mixture of 55 to 65 parts by weight of an organic solvent, 25 parts by weight of polysulphone, and 15 to 20 parts by weight of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate incorporated therein.

23. A process for preparing a composite hollow fiber article comprising a mixture of polysulphone and Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate incorporated therein, consisting of: mixing a solution of polysulphone with a solution of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate in an organic solvent to produce a homogenous dope solution consisting of a mixture of organic solvent, 25 parts by weight of polysulphone, and 10 to 25 parts by weight of Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate, wherein a concentration of the Vitamin E polyethylene glycol succinate in the mixture is 1 to 40% by weight of the polysulphone and the organic solvent; extruding the homogenous dope solution coaxially with water through spinnerets to form hollow filaments; passing the filaments through an airgap; coagulating the filaments; and rinsing and winding the filaments and forming the composite hollow fiber article.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0019] Dope solution was prepared by dissolving polysulphone (Psf) in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) in order to make 25 wt % polymer solution. The mixture was stirred until clear homogeneous solution. Water was used as bore solution. The dope and bore solution was simultaneously extruded through coaxial spinneret at 2 ml/min and 2.5 ml/min pulseless flow rate respectively. The air gap was set at 45 cm. The fiber was passed through coagulation tank and rinse tank. Finally, hollow fiber membrane (HFM, P) was wound on take up drum at 3.89 m/min speed.

Example 2

[0020] Dope solution was prepared by dissolving 5 wt % ETPGS and 25 wt % polysulphone in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP, 70 wt %). The mixture was stirred until clear homogeneous solution. Water was used as bore solution. The dope and bore solution was simultaneously extruded through coaxial spinneret at 2 ml/min and 2.5 ml/min pulseless flow rate respectively. The air gap was set at 45 cm. The fiber was passed through coagulation tank and rinse tank. Finally, fiber (PT-5) was wound on take up drum at 3.89 m/min speed.

Example 3

[0021] Dope solution was prepared by dissolving 10 wt % ETPGS and 25 wt % polysulphone in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP, 70 wt %). The mixture was stirred until clear homogeneous solution. Water was used as bore solution. The dope and bore solution was simultaneously extruded through coaxial spinneret at 2 ml/min and 2.5 ml/min pulseless flow rate respectively. The air gap was set at 45 cm. The fiber was passed through coagulation tank and rinse tank. Finally, fiber (PT-10) was wound on take up drum at 3.89 m/min speed.

Example 4

[0022] Dope solution was prepared by dissolving 15 wt % ETPGS and 25 wt % polysulphone in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP, 70 wt %). The mixture was stirred until clear homogeneous solution. Water was used as bore solution. The dope and bore solution was simultaneously extruded through coaxial spinneret at 2 ml/min and 2.5 ml/min pulseless flow rate respectively. The air gap was set at 45 cm. The fiber was passed through coagulation tank and rinse tank. Finally, fiber (PT-15) was wound on take up drum at 3.89 m/min speed.

Example 5

[0023] Dope solution was prepared by dissolving 20 wt % ETPGS and 25 wt % polysulphone in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP, 70 wt %). The mixture was stirred until clear homogeneous solution. Water was used as bore solution. The dope and bore solution was simultaneously extruded through coaxial spinneret at 2 ml/min and 2.5 ml/min pulseless flow rate respectively. The air gap was set at 45 cm. The fiber was passed through coagulation tank and rinse tank. Finally, fiber (PT-20) was wound on take up drum at 3.89 m/min speed.

Example 6

[0024] The hollow fiber membrane prepared using varying concentrations of ETPGS were tested for evaluation of biocompatibility. The biocompatibility test includes reactive oxygen species generation using NIH3T3 cells and complement activation. The results show that the biocompatibility of composite Psf/Vitamin E TPGS HFMs were improved. The number of platelet adhered to polysulphone and composite polysulphone membrane is tabulated in Table 1.

[0025] In-vitro urea diffusion test was carried out using 100 mg/dl urea concentration and urea clearance was improved with the additive concentration.

[0026] Table 1 shown below indicate that platelet adhesion is drastically reduced when membrane of this invention are used.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 The platelet adhered to the inner surface of polysulphone hollow fiber without and with said additives, indicating platelet adhesion is drastically reduced. Membrane Type Platelet clusters ? 10.sup.4/cm.sup.2 Platelet ? 10.sup.4/cm.sup.2 P 13 ? 4 2430 PT-5 88 ? 19 PT-10 64 ? 20 PT-15* 32 ? 5 PT-20 63 ? 11

[0027] FIG. 1 shown in the accompanying sheet indicates the improvement in urea clearance when membranes of this invention are used.

[0028] The appended claims do not exclude obvious equivalents known to persons skilled in the art.