Preparation of antifouling ultrafiltration membranes from copolymers of polysulfone and zwitterionic poly(arylene ether sulfone)s

The past few decades have witnessed rapid gains in our demands of antifouling membranes such as water purification membranes and hemodialysis membranes. A variety of methodologies have been proposed for improving the antifouling performance and the hemocompatibility of the membranes. In this study, a series of copolymers (PSF-PESSB) containing polysulfone (PSF) and poly(arylene ether sulfone) bearing pendant zwitterionic sulfobetaine groups (PESSB) were prepared via one-pot polycondensation. Subsequently, the ultrafiltration (UF) membranes were prepared from different zwitterion-containing copolymers. The prepared membranes showed high thermal stability and mechanical properties. Besides, it also displayed attractive antifouling performance and blood compatibility. Compared with the original PSF membrane, the amount of protein absorption on the modified membrane was reduced; the flux recovery ratio and the resistance to blood cells were significantly improved. The results of this work suggest that PSF-PESSB membranes are expected to be applied in blood purification. The introduction of zwitterion-containing polymers to membranes paves ways for developing advanced hemodialysis technologies for crucial process.