Monsanto Company

Joseph A Carden, Jr

Ray McKinney, Jr

Richard C Chang

James C Danos

Robert R Ward

Permselective membranes are provided consisting of lactam-polyol-polyacyl lactam block terpolymers having from 35 to 75% by weight polylactam blocks and 25 to 65% by weight polyalkylene ether blocks. The membranes are particularly suitable as blood dialysis membranes having improved permeability to solutes in the medium range of molecular weights while maintaining acceptable ultrafiltration rates and permeability to low molecular weight solutes. The membranes are provided both as planar films and hollow fibers, have high hydrolytic stability under hot wet sterilization conditions and good mechanical properties under hemodialysis conditions.

Lactam terpolymer membranes

Processes are disclosed for coating the exteriors of a plurality of hollow fibers which are suitable for fluid separations and which are assembled in the form of a bundle. The processes involve immersing the bundle of hollow fibers in a coating liquid containing material suitable for forming the coating and a substantial amount of solvent. A pressure drop from the exteriors to the interiors of the hollow fibers is provided to result in the formation of a deposit on the exteriors of the hollow fibers. The processes of this invention enable essentially the entire exterior surfaces of the hollow fibers to be coated without undue sticking of the hollow fibers or providing undesirably thick coatings on the hollow fibers in any portion of the bundle or on a portion of any of the hollow fibers.

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Durham, NC, United States of America

Joseph A Carden, Jr