Tubular fiber membrane with nanoporous skin

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352283-B2
Application number	US-201013881705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2010
Priority date	Oct 25, 2010
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A wet spinning process for forming a tubular fiber membrane is provided. The tubular fiber membrane has a nanoporous skin layer and a microporous lumen layer. The skin layer defines an outer surface of the fiber membrane and the lumen layer defines a lumen surface of the fiber membrane. The pores in the skin layer may have an average pore size of less than about 7 nm, and pores in the lumen layer may have an average pore size of from about 0.5 to about 3 μm. The fiber membranes may be used in artificial renal proximal tubules, artificial kidneys, bioreactors, or fiber cartridges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial renal proximal tubule, comprising:
a tubular fiber membrane defining a lumen, said fiber membrane comprising a nanoporous skin layer and a microporous lumen layer, said skin layer defining an outer surface of said fiber membrane and said lumen layer defining a lumen surface of said fiber membrane, wherein pores in said skin layer have an average pore size of less than about 7 nm, and pores in said lumen layer have an average pore size of from about 0.5 to about 3 μm.

2. The artificial renal proximal tubule of claim 1 , wherein said fiber membrane comprises polyethersulfone (PES).

3. The artificial renal proximal tubule of claim 1 , comprising a layer of hydrogel formed on said lumen layer.

4. The artificial renal proximal tubule of claim 3 , wherein said hydrogel comprises fibrin.

5. The artificial renal proximal tubule of claim 1 , comprising cells attached to said lumen layer.

6. A cartridge comprising:
a body defining a fluid chamber;
a plurality of tubules including a tubule that further includes a tubular fiber membrane defining a lumen, said fiber membrane comprising a nanoporous skin layer and a microporous lumen layer, said skin layer defining an outer surface of said fiber membrane and said lumen layer defining a lumen surface of said fiber membrane, wherein pores in said skin layer have an average pore size of less than about 7 nm, and pores in said lumen layer have an average pore size of from about 0.5 to about 3 μm mounted on said body and passing through said fluid chamber; and
a conduit in fluid communication with the tubules; and a conduit in fluid communication with said fluid chamber.

7. The cartridge of claim 6 , comprising a first conduit in fluid communication with a first end of the lumen of the tubular fiber membrane in the tubule, a second conduit in fluid communication with a second end of the lumen of the tubular fiber membrane, and third and fourth conduits in fluid communication with said fluid chamber.

Assignees

• Ying Jackie Y
• Deng Rensheng
• Hu Min
• Ni Ming
• Agency Science Tech & Res

Inventors

• Ying Jackie Y
• Deng Rensheng
• Hu Min
• Ni Ming

Classifications

• B01D69/085

  Details relating to the spinneret · CPC title

• D01D5/247

  Discontinuous hollow structure or microporous structure · CPC title

• B01D69/087

  Details relating to the spinning process · CPC title

• B01D63/06

  Tubular membrane modules · CPC title

• B01D2313/44

  Cartridge types · CPC title