Semipermeable encapsulated membranes with improved acid and base

Abstract

A process for the preparation of semipermeable membranes with improved acid and base stability including: (a) coating a base and acid stable ultrafiltration (UF) membrane support polymer, with a high molecular weight amphoteric polyelectrolyte coating polymer optionally in solution, the amphoteric polyelectrolyte containing both cationic and anionic groups and in addition primary and secondary amine groups, the solution optionally containing a latent internal crosslinker compound that is a polyfunctional compound that crosslinks the coating polymer only during a curing step at elevated temperatures and basic pH; (b) draining or washing the coated support; and (c) reacting the coating with a solution of an external crosslinking compound that is a polyfuntional compound, not overly reactive so as not to be hydrolyzed prematurely in solution, the time of exposure to the external crosslinking compound being sufficient to ensure its diffusion into the bulk of the coating, so that the crosslinking is effected not only on the solution-polymer coating interface, but throughout the bulk of the coating as well. The sequence (a)-(c) may optionally be repeated a number of times to give multiple crosslinked layers; draining or washing the coated UF support; and curing the coated membrane by heating at an elevated temperature and basic pH to complete crosslinking by the external crosslinking molecule and if present, also effect crosslinking by the latent internal crosslinker, that is primarily activated only at the elevated temperature conditions.