Photochemical surface modification of poly(arylsulfone) ultrafiltration membrane and covalent immobilization of enzyme

The sensitivity of poly(arylsulfone) (PSf) for UV irradiation in different solvents (water and ethanol) was investigated. It is confirmed that acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AAm) are grafted only onto the surface of the membrane instead of the interior by FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The membrane performance (deltaJ/J0 and contact angle theta) after photografting was studied. In the range of conditions used, the grafting yield increases with irradiation time and monomer concentration growing. After photografting and N-3-dimethylaminopropyl-N'-ethycarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) activation, PSf membrane was immobilized with hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase, and showed a higher activity than the control membrane.