Inventors: Minko S, Orlov M, Tokarev I, Katz E
Patent Title: Stimuli-responsive polymer membrane and method of making the same
Publication date: 2014
Publication number: US8829062

Abstract: The object of the present invention is concerned with a stimuli-responsive polymer membrane and method of making the same. The method and making the membrane is a new one The entire body of the responsive membrane is a gel. Gels are used as membranes because they are permeable-swollen network. This disclosure discusses a new combination of cylindrical pores in a swollen network. When the network swells or shrinks the cylindrical pores open or close. Thus, inside the network, one can introduce ligands, function groups which due to specific interaction with some signaling molecules in the surrounding environment can cause swelling or shrinking the membrane and this way they open or close pores. With cylindrical pores in a gel there is the ability to regulate pore size in a broad range and an ability to arrange response by adding some functional groups inside the gel body.
URL: http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/biblio?FT=D&date=20140909&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP&CC=US&NR=8829062B1&KC=B1&ND=4