Binding of Lysozyme onto a Cation‐Exchange Microporous Membrane Containing Tentacle‐Type Grafted Polymer Branches

Ion‐exchange adsorption of lysozyme to the sulfonic acid (SO₃H) group on polymer chains grafted onto microporous polyethylene hollow‐fiber membranes was examined. The lysozyme solution was forced to permeate across the hollow fiber. Diversely anchored SO₃H groups, i.e., SP and SS groups, were introduced into the membrane by reaction of the glycidyl methacrylate‐grafted membrane with propanesultone and sodium sulfite, respectively. The resulting SP and SS group‐containing membranes, designated as SP‐T and SS‐T fibers, respectively, had 95 and 77 % water flux of the original membrane, respectively. The binding capacity of lysozyme as a function of the SO₃H group density was compared between the SP‐T and SS‐T fibers from measurement of the ion‐exchange breakthrough curves during the permeation of lysozyme solution across the SP‐T and SS‐T fibers. The binding capacity of lysozyme to the SP‐T fiber remained constant, independent of the SP group density, whereas that to the SS‐T fiber increased linearly with increasing SS group density. This difference was explained by means of a model whereby lysozyme adheres onto the SP group‐containing grafted polymer branches, while the SS group‐containing grafted polymer branches hold lysozyme in a tentacle‐like manner.