Membrana Gmbh

3m Innovative Properties Company

Evonik Fibres Gmbh

Max-planck-gesellschaft Zur F&#xf6;rderung Der Wissenschaften E. V.

Frank Wiese

Erich Kessler

Friedbert Wechs

Thomas Batzilla

Bodo Von Harten

Horst-Dieter Lemke

Martin König

Wolfgang Ramlow

Bernd Seibig

Dieter Paul

Quan Huang

Marcus O M&uuml;ller

Ralf R Hornscheidt

Armin J Lang

Hartmut Stenzel

Hans-Wolfgang Spiess

Paul-Philipp Zänker

Peter Blümler

Detlev Krieter

A membrane module comprising a hollow fiber membrane bundle with a longitudinal extent, a membrane bundle cross section and a first and a second bundle end, the bundle comprising a multitude of hollow fiber membranes extending between the first and the second bundle end, and also comprising, within the membrane bundle cross section, a proportion of threads which are arranged between the hollow fiber membranes and which keep the hollow fiber membranes apart. The arrangement of the threads between the hollow fiber membranes is such that at the first bundle end and/or at the second bundle end the hollow fiber membranes protrude beyond at least some of the threads, such that the hollow fiber membrane bundle has a smaller proportion of threads in a first and/or second end region, extending from the first and/or the second bundle end, than in a bundle region, located between the first and the second bundle end, which has a maximal proportion of threads, the length of the first end region and/or the length of the second end region being 1% to 45% of the bundle length.

Membrane bundle layout having spacers

The invention relates to a method for reducing the number of leukocytes in blood through treating the blood in an arrangement of a plurality of fibers based on organic polymers, whereby the blood is channeled along the fibers and whereby the reduction in leukocytes from the blood occurs essentially through adsorption on the fibers, characterized in that the plurality of fibers based on organic polymers is fixed in a housing with an inlet arrangement and an outlet arrangement, and that the blood is channeled via the inlet arrangement into the housing, flows through the housing with the plurality of fibers made from organic polymers, and exits the housing via the outlet arrangement, that the arrangement of the fibers shows a high degree of order, that the blood flows along the external surface of the fibers, and that the fibers cause a generation of the complement activation product C5a in a concentration of at least 10 &#x3bc;g per mof fiber surface.

Method for the elimination of leukocytes from blood

Method for producing foamed microporous polymer molded bodies by melting a thermoplastic polymer in a first zone of an extrusion device, mixing in a highly volatile blowing agent, conveying the polymer melt containing the blowing agent into a second zone in which dissolution of the blowing agent occurs to saturation of the polymer melt at the foaming temperature, and molding and foaming of the loaded polymer melt to a foamed structure, whereby, in the second zone, a pressure above 90 bar, a blowing agent concentration above the critical minimum concentration for complete foaming, and the foaming temperature, lying above the solidification temperature of the polymer melt saturated with blowing agent, are set such that the polymer molded body obtained has a porosity in the range between 40 and 90 vol. % and an open-cell pore structure with uniform cross-sectional distribution. Foamed microporous polymer molded bodies in the form of particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer with uniform open-cell pore structure, a porosity of 40 to 90 vol. %, an accessible proportion of pore volume of at least 0.75 and an average cell size between 1 and 100 &#x3bc;m.

Method for producing foamed polymer molded bodies and said foamed polymer molder bodies

Process for producing an integrally asymmetrical hydrophobic polyolefinic membrane with a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous support structure and a separation layer with a denser structure, using a thermally induced liquid-liquid phase separation process. A solution of at least one polyolefin is extruded to form a shaped object. The solvent used is one for which the demixing temperature of a solution of 25% by weight of the polyolefin in this solvent is 10 to 70&#xb0; C. above the solidification temperature. After leaving the die, the shaped object is cooled using a liquid cooling medium that does not dissolve the polymer up to the die temperature, until the phase separation and solidification of the high-polymer-content phase take place. The integrally asymmetrical membrane producible in this manner has a porosity of greater than 30% to 75% by volume, a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous support layer without macrovoids and with on average isotropic pores, and on at least one of its surfaces a separation layer with pores &#x3c;100 nm, if any. The membrane is preferably used for gas separation or gas transfer processes, in particular for oxygenation of blood.

Process for producing polyolefin membrane with integrally asymmetrical structure

Process for producing integrally asymmetrical hydrophobic polyolefinic membranes with a separation layer, in particular for gas exchange, via thermally induced liquid-liquid phase separation. A solution of at least one polyolefin in a solvent system containing a compound A and a compound B is extruded to form a shaped object. Compound A is a strong solvent and compound B a weak non-solvent for the polymer. After leaving the die, the shaped object is cooled using a solid or liquid cooling medium, which does not dissolve the polymer and does not react chemically with it, until the phase separation and solidification of the high-polymer-content phase take place. The integrally asymmetrical membrane producible in this manner has a porosity of greater than 30% to 75% by volume, a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous support layer without macrovoids and on average isotropic pores, a separation layer on at least one of its surfaces with pores <100 nm, if any, and a gas separation factor &agr;(CO /N ) of at least 1. The membrane is preferably used for blood oxygenation.

Integrally asymmetrical polyolefin membrane

Process for producing hydrophobic polyolefinic membranes for gas exchange via thermally induced liquid-liquid phase separation is disclosed. A solution of at least one polyolefin in a solvent system, of a compound A and a compound B having a viscosity less than 60 mPa s, is extruded to form a shaped object. The compound A is a solvent and compound B preferably a non-solvent of the polymer, and the boiling point of compound A is at least 50&deg; C. higher than that of compound B. After the shaped object leaves the die, at least one surface thereof is subjected to an atmosphere promoting evaporation of compound B, and the shaped object is subsequently cooled until the phase separation and solidification of the high-polymer-content phase take place. The integrally asymmetrical membrane producible in this manner has a porosity of greater than 50% to 75% by volume, a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous support layer without macrovoids and on average isotropic pores, and at least one separation layer with pores <100 nm, if any. The membrane is preferably used for blood oxygenation.

Integrally asymmetrical polyolefin membrane for gas exchange

Process for producing an integrally asymmetrical hydrophobic polyolefinic membrane with a sponge-like, open-pored, microporous support structure and a separation layer with a denser structure compared to the support structure, via a thermally induced liquid-liquid phase separation process. A solution of at least one polyolefin in a solvent system consisting of a compound A and a compound B is extruded to form a shaped object. Compound A is a weak solvent and compound B a non-solvent for the polymer. After leaving the die, the shaped object is cooled using a solid or liquid cooling medium that does not dissolve or react chemically with the polymer at temperatures up to the die temperature, until the phase separation and solidification of the high-polymer-content phase take place.

Method for producing an integrally asymmetrical polyolefin membrane

Growing community of inventors

Wuppertal, Germany

Frank Wiese