EAGER: Novel Graded Solvent-resistant Membranes for Separating Molecules between 200 Da and 3000 Da

Pharmaceutical and drug molecules are manufactured by processes involving two to twenty steps. As the process proceeds through these steps, larger and increasingly complex molecules are produced. During each step, the desired molecules must be separated from undesirable ones. This separation can be done using membranes. This project will modify commercially available membranes so that molecules of successively larger sizes can be purified. The project will benefit the drug manufacturing industry. It will help the US retain its lead in manufacturing technology for biologically active molecules. The project will also train undergraduate students in engineering. Manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients, drugs, or peptides often involves multi-step synthesis. Each step requires purification of mixtures in organic solvents. The manufacturing process would benefit from advances in membrane separation technology. Currently, membranes are made to separate molecules only in a narrowly specified range of molecular weights. This project will develop a novel method to modify commercially available membranes with sequentially lower molecular weight cutoff ranging from 200 Da to 3000 Da. Each membrane synthesized will be characterized by the solute rejection profile, solvent flux, and various material characterization techniques. These membranes will be useful for organic solvent nanofiltration and organic solvent ultrafiltration applications. An undergraduate student from the Honors College will be trained in various techniques for membrane fabrication and using membranes for separation and purification. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.