High-Performance Hemofiltration via Molecular Sieving and Ultra-Low Friction in Carbon Nanotube Capillary Membranes
(2023) In Advanced Functional Materials 33(50).- Abstract
Conventional dialyzer membranes typically comprise of unevenly distributed polydisperse, tortuous, rough pores, embedded in relatively thick ≈20–50 µm polymer layers wherein separation occurs via size exclusion as well as differences in diffusivity of the permeating species. However, transport in such polymeric pores is increasingly hindered as the molecule size approaches the pore dimension, resulting in significant retention of undesirable middle molecules (≥15–60 kDa) and uremic toxins. Enhanced removal of middle molecules is usually accompanied by high albumin loss (≈66 kDa) causing hypoalbuminemia. Here, the scalable bottom-up fabrication of wafer-scale carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes with highly aligned, low-friction,... (More)
Conventional dialyzer membranes typically comprise of unevenly distributed polydisperse, tortuous, rough pores, embedded in relatively thick ≈20–50 µm polymer layers wherein separation occurs via size exclusion as well as differences in diffusivity of the permeating species. However, transport in such polymeric pores is increasingly hindered as the molecule size approaches the pore dimension, resulting in significant retention of undesirable middle molecules (≥15–60 kDa) and uremic toxins. Enhanced removal of middle molecules is usually accompanied by high albumin loss (≈66 kDa) causing hypoalbuminemia. Here, the scalable bottom-up fabrication of wafer-scale carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes with highly aligned, low-friction, straight-channels/capillaries and narrow pore-diameter distributions (≈0.5–4.5 nm) is demonstrated, to overcome persistent challenges in hemofiltration/hemodialysis. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Ficoll 70 and albumin in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as well as in bovine blood plasma, it is shown that CNT membranes can allow for significantly higher hydraulic permeability (more than an order of magnitude when normalized to pore area) than commercial high-flux hemofiltration/hemodialysis membranes (HF 400), as well as greatly enhance removal of middle molecules while maintaining comparable albumin retention. These findings are rationalized via an N-pore transport model that highlights the critical role of molecular flexing and deformation during size-selective transport within nanoscale confinements of the CNTs. The unique transport characteristics of CNTs coupled with size-exclusion and wafer-scale fabrication offer transformative advances for hemofiltration, and the obtained insight into molecular transport can aid advancements in several other bio-systems/applications beyond hemofiltration/hemodialysis.
(Less)
- author
- organization
- publishing date
- 2023
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- albumin retention, carbon nanotube membranes, carbon nanotubes, enhanced middle molecule clearance, Ficoll sieving, hemofiltration/hemodialysis, hydraulic permeability
- in
- Advanced Functional Materials
- volume
- 33
- issue
- 50
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85169148943
- ISSN
- 1616-301X
- DOI
- 10.1002/adfm.202304672
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- a4f514fd-ae5b-4af5-87ab-2c78b7314f46
- date added to LUP
- 2023-11-28 14:11:25
- date last changed
- 2024-03-07 13:05:46
@article{a4f514fd-ae5b-4af5-87ab-2c78b7314f46,
abstract = {{<p>Conventional dialyzer membranes typically comprise of unevenly distributed polydisperse, tortuous, rough pores, embedded in relatively thick ≈20–50 µm polymer layers wherein separation occurs via size exclusion as well as differences in diffusivity of the permeating species. However, transport in such polymeric pores is increasingly hindered as the molecule size approaches the pore dimension, resulting in significant retention of undesirable middle molecules (≥15–60 kDa) and uremic toxins. Enhanced removal of middle molecules is usually accompanied by high albumin loss (≈66 kDa) causing hypoalbuminemia. Here, the scalable bottom-up fabrication of wafer-scale carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes with highly aligned, low-friction, straight-channels/capillaries and narrow pore-diameter distributions (≈0.5–4.5 nm) is demonstrated, to overcome persistent challenges in hemofiltration/hemodialysis. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-Ficoll 70 and albumin in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) as well as in bovine blood plasma, it is shown that CNT membranes can allow for significantly higher hydraulic permeability (more than an order of magnitude when normalized to pore area) than commercial high-flux hemofiltration/hemodialysis membranes (HF 400), as well as greatly enhance removal of middle molecules while maintaining comparable albumin retention. These findings are rationalized via an N-pore transport model that highlights the critical role of molecular flexing and deformation during size-selective transport within nanoscale confinements of the CNTs. The unique transport characteristics of CNTs coupled with size-exclusion and wafer-scale fabrication offer transformative advances for hemofiltration, and the obtained insight into molecular transport can aid advancements in several other bio-systems/applications beyond hemofiltration/hemodialysis.</p>}},
author = {{Cheng, Peifu and Ferrell, Nicholas and Öberg, Carl M. and Buchsbaum, Steven F. and Jue, Melinda L. and Park, Sei Jin and Wang, Dan and Roy, Shuvo and Fornasiero, Francesco and Fissell, William H. and Kidambi, Piran R.}},
issn = {{1616-301X}},
keywords = {{albumin retention; carbon nanotube membranes; carbon nanotubes; enhanced middle molecule clearance; Ficoll sieving; hemofiltration/hemodialysis; hydraulic permeability}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{50}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Advanced Functional Materials}},
title = {{High-Performance Hemofiltration via Molecular Sieving and Ultra-Low Friction in Carbon Nanotube Capillary Membranes}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202304672}},
doi = {{10.1002/adfm.202304672}},
volume = {{33}},
year = {{2023}},
}