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Membranes
Special Issues
Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications
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Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications

A special issue of Membranes (ISSN 2077-0375). This special issue belongs to the section "Membrane Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 December 2019) | Viewed by 19642

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Nazely Diban

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, ETSIIyT, University of Cantabria, Avda. Los Castros s/n, 39005 Santander, Spain
Interests: biopolymer membranes; mixed-matrix membranes; membrane synthesis; modeling; perfusion bioreactors; photocatalytic membranes; tissue engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The quest for preparing more efficient membranes is an emerging field with still many unsolved challenges ahead, including understanding the ruling mechanisms behind membrane behavior and finding the best methods to incorporate active functionality in long-term stable membranes for them to actually become competitive and a marketable product. Among the different approaches to outperforming the present functionality of membranes, surface modification, the use of blends, and the immobilization of new generation nanomaterials in the membrane matrix are some of the most popular ones. This Special Issue will deal with the study of the formerly mentioned techniques, as well as any other novel membrane functionalization methodology.

In this Special Issue, among the different fields of application for functional membranes,  the scope aims at covering the last innovations of functional membranes applied in biomedical devices and for environmental purposes, as well as to analyze the future perspectives of membranes in these fields. The topics of the submissions include:

  • The use of membranes in diagnostic devices, that is, (bio-)sensors and probes,
  • membrane-based therapeutic devices,
  • membrane scaffolds for tissue engineering,
  • reactive membranes for selective separations/pollutants utilization from waste streams,
  • membrane reactors, bioreactors, and catalytic/photocatalytic reactors,
  • (wearable) biohybrid organs,
  • integration of membranes in microfluidic systems, and so on.

We look forward to receiving original research studies or reviews related to a comprehensive mechanistic study of functional membrane materials, new or improved synthesis and functionalization procedures, material characterization methods, analysis of the performance of innovative membrane materials, and design of membrane devices or reactors.

Dr. Nazely Diban
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Membranes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomedical applications
  • blends
  • composites
  • gas separations
  • ionic liquids
  • nanomaterials
  • membrane reactors
  • pollutants utilization
  • smart, sensing membrane materials
  • water treatment

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 5118 KiB  
Article
Sorption/Diffusion Contributions to the Gas Permeation Properties of Bi-Soft Segment Polyurethane/Polycaprolactone Membranes for Membrane Blood Oxygenators
by Tiago M. Eusébio, Ana Rita Martins, Gabriela Pon, Mónica Faria, Pedro Morgado, Moisés L. Pinto, Eduardo J. M. Filipe and Maria Norberta de Pinho
Membranes 2020, 10(1), 8; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10010008 - 2 Jan 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5211
Abstract
Due to their high hemocompatibility and gas permeation capacity, bi-soft segment polyurethane/polycaprolactone (PU/PCL) polymers are promising materials for use in membrane blood oxygenators. In this work, both nonporous symmetric and integral asymmetric PU/PCL membranes were synthesized, and the permeation properties of the atmospheric [...] Read more.
Due to their high hemocompatibility and gas permeation capacity, bi-soft segment polyurethane/polycaprolactone (PU/PCL) polymers are promising materials for use in membrane blood oxygenators. In this work, both nonporous symmetric and integral asymmetric PU/PCL membranes were synthesized, and the permeation properties of the atmospheric gases N2, O2, and CO2 through these membranes were experimentally determined using a new custom-built gas permeation apparatus. Permeate pressure vs. time curves were obtained at 37.0 °C and gas feed pressures up to 5 bar. Fluxes, permeances, and permeability coefficients were determined from the steady-state part of the curves, and the diffusion and sorption coefficients were estimated from the analysis of the transient state using the time-lag method. Independent measurements of the sorption coefficients of the three gases were performed, under equilibrium conditions, in order to validate the new setup and procedure. This work shows that the gas sorption in the PU/PCL polymers is the dominant factor for the permeation properties of the atmospheric gases in these membranes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications)
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14 pages, 2316 KiB  
Article
Effect of Humidity on CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 Separation Using Novel Robust Mixed Matrix Composite Hollow Fiber Membranes: Experimental and Model Evaluation
by Clara Casado-Coterillo, Ana Fernández-Barquín and Angel Irabien
Membranes 2020, 10(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes10010006 - 30 Dec 2019
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 4536
Abstract
In this work, the performance of new robust mixed matrix composite hollow fiber (MMCHF) membranes with a different selective layer composition is evaluated in the absence and presence of water vapor in CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 separation. The [...] Read more.
In this work, the performance of new robust mixed matrix composite hollow fiber (MMCHF) membranes with a different selective layer composition is evaluated in the absence and presence of water vapor in CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 separation. The selective layer of these membranes is made of highly permeable hydrophobic poly(trimethyl-1-silylpropine) (PTMSP) and hydrophilic chitosan-ionic liquid (IL-CS) hybrid matrices, respectively, filled with hydrophilic zeolite 4A particles in the first case and HKUST-1 nanoparticles in the second, coated over compatible supports. The effect of water vapor in the feed or using a commercial hydrophobic PDMSXA-10 HF membrane has also been studied for comparison. Mixed gas separation experiments were performed at values of 0 and 50% relative humidity (RH) in the feed and varying CO2 concentration in N2 and CH4, respectively. The performance has been validated by a simple mathematical model considering the effect of temperature and relative humidity on membrane permeability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications)
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12 pages, 889 KiB  
Article
Flower and Leaf Extracts of Sambucus nigra L.: Application of Membrane Processes to Obtain Fractions with Antioxidant and Antityrosinase Properties
by Rosa Tundis, Claudia Ursino, Marco Bonesi, Monica R. Loizzo, Vincenzo Sicari, Teresa Pellicanò, Ilaria L. Manfredi, Alberto Figoli and Alfredo Cassano
Membranes 2019, 9(10), 127; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9100127 - 24 Sep 2019
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 4565
Abstract
This study aimed at evaluating and comparing the chemical profile as well as the antityrosinase and antioxidant activities of ethanol (EtOH) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of Sambucus nigra L. (Adoxaceae) flowers and leaves in order to discover new candidates for food additives and [...] Read more.
This study aimed at evaluating and comparing the chemical profile as well as the antityrosinase and antioxidant activities of ethanol (EtOH) and methanol (MeOH) extracts of Sambucus nigra L. (Adoxaceae) flowers and leaves in order to discover new candidates for food additives and cosmetic and pharmaceutical products. For this purpose, a novel lower-melting-point ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene (LMP ECTFE) nanofiltration (NF) membrane was employed in order to produce the concentrated fractions of S. nigra. Floral extracts were richer in phytochemicals in comparison to the leaf extracts. The High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profile revealed rutin, quercetin, protocateuchic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, and neochlorogenic acid as the most abundant compounds. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), 2,2’-diphenil-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radical scavenging, and 2,2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) tests were used to investigate the antioxidant properties. NF retentate fractions of floral ethanol extracts exerted the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity with an IC50 of 53.9 µg/mL and the highest ABTS radical scavenging activity (IC50 of 46.4 µg/mL). In conclusion, the present investigation revealed the potential benefits of NF application in S. nigra extracts processing, suggesting the use of retentate fractions as a promising source for antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory compounds which could pave the way for future applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications)
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Review

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28 pages, 4118 KiB  
Review
Ionizing Radiation for Preparation and Functionalization of Membranes and Their Biomedical and Environmental Applications
by Maria Helena Casimiro, Luis Mota Ferreira, João Paulo Leal, Claudia Cristina Lage Pereira and Bernardo Monteiro
Membranes 2019, 9(12), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes9120163 - 3 Dec 2019
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4628
Abstract
The use of ionizing radiation processing technologies has proven to be one of the most versatile ways to prepare a wide range of membranes with specific tailored functionalities, thus enabling them to be used in a variety of industrial, environmental, and biological applications. [...] Read more.
The use of ionizing radiation processing technologies has proven to be one of the most versatile ways to prepare a wide range of membranes with specific tailored functionalities, thus enabling them to be used in a variety of industrial, environmental, and biological applications. The general principle of this clean and environmental friendly technique is the use of various types of commercially available high-energy radiation sources, like 60Co, X-ray, and electron beam to initiate energy-controlled processes of free-radical polymerization or copolymerization, leading to the production of functionalized, flexible, structured membranes or to the incorporation of functional groups within a matrix composed by a low-cost polymer film. The present manuscript describes the state of the art of using ionizing radiation for the preparation and functionalization of polymer-based membranes for biomedical and environmental applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Membranes for Biomedical and Environmental Applications)
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