Title of Invention

MULTILAYER MICROPOROUS MEMBRANE.

Abstract A multilayer microporous membrane containing a thermoplastic resin, comprising a coarse structure layer with a higher open pore ratio and a fine structure layer with a lower open pore ratio, wherein said coarse structure layer is present at least in one membrane surface having a thickness of not less than 5.0µm, a thickness of said fine structure layer is not less than 50% of the whole membrane thickness, and said coarse structure layer and said fine structure layer are formed in one-piece.
Full Text DESCRIPTION
MULTILAYER MICROPOROUS MEMBRANE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a
microporous membrane having a superior permeability.
More particularly, the present invention relates to a
microporous membrane suitable for removal of minute
substances such as viruses, from a solution containing
physiologically active substances such as proteins.
Background Art
Recently, problems with pathogens such as
viruses and pathogenic proteins, which may possibly
exist as contaminants in a solution for injection, have
been highlighted as a critical situation. This is
especially true when a liquid preparation containing a
physiologically active substance such as plasma
derivatives, biopharmaceuticals or plasma for
transfusion is administered into a human body. A
method for removing or inactivating such pathogens is
required.
Methods for inactivating viruses include
heating processes and treatments using chemical agents
(for example solvent/detergent (S/D) treatment).
However, these methods are limited in their
inactivation effects depending on types of viruses
For example, a heating process is less effective for
thermostable viruses such as hepatitis A virus.
Further, an S/D treatment has virtually no effect on
viruses such as parvovirus which have no lipid
membrane. In a treatment using chemical agents, since
there is a possibility that the chemical agent used may
be administered into a human body, a process for
removing the chemical agent may be required.
Membrane filtration is known as a method for
physically removing viruses. Since a procedure for
separation is performed using a membrane filtration
system which is dependent on a size of virus particles,
it is effective for all viruses regardless of chemical
or thermal natures of viruses.
A type of virus ranges from the smallest
viruses such as parvovirus having a diameter of about
18 - 24 nm or poliovirus having a diameter of about 25
- 30 nm to a relatively large virus such as HIV having
a diameter of 80 - 100 nm. In order to remove such
groups of viruses by physical means using the membrane
filtration, a microporous membrane having a maximum
pore diameter of 100 nm or less is required. The need
for a system for removing small viruses such as
parvovirus has been increased recently.
Virus removal membranes which can be used for
purification of plasma derivatives and
biopharmaceuticals by removing viruses, must have not
only viral removal ability but also a high permeability
for physiologically active substances such as albumin
and globulin. For such purposes, ultrafiltration
membranes having a pore diameter of several nm and
reverse osmotic membranes having a smaller size of pore
diameter are not suitable as a virus removal membrane.
Even if microporous membranes have a pore
diameter suitable for the viral removal, the
microporous membranes, such as an ultrafiltration
membrane, having large voids inside the membrane and
carrying appropriate filtration characteristics in a
surface skin layer, have a low reliability for viral
removal. The reason is that there are always
significant deficiencies such as pinholes or cracks in
the skin layer and large voids inside the membrane.
The skin layer herein means an extremely thin layer
existing on one side or both sides of the membrane, and
having a denser structure as compared with an inner
region of the membrane.
A membrane constructed with a gradient
structure with continuously increasing pore diameter
from one side of the membrane surface to the other is
not suitable for viral removal. In order to perform
the viral removal completely, the membrane must have a
structure in which a homogeneous structural region
having no large internal void as well as having
extremely few or almost no continuous change in a pore
diameter along a thickness direction, is present with a
certain thickness. In such a structure, a mechanism of
filtration generally called "depth filtration" is
generated. As a result, a highly reliable viral
removal capability can be obtained as a sum of the
viral removal in each minute region of a membrane
thickness.
During a final process of manufacturing, a
microporous membrane to be used for the viral removal
is treated with some sterilization treatment in order
to guarantee safety of the product. Sterilization
procedures used include: a method using chemical
agents, a method using ultraviolet irradiation or ?-ray
irradiation, a method using steam sterilization and the
like. Use of chemical agents may exert harmful effects
on a human body caused by residual trace chemical
agents remaining in a microporous membrane. A
sterilization method using ultraviolet irradiation is
not suitable for sterilization in the final process due
to a low transmissivity of ultraviolet rays. A
sterilization method using ?-ray irradiation is
unreliable due to irradiation damage caused in a
microporous membrane. It seems that use of steam is
the most secure, reliable and preferable method. In
this case, materials used in a microporous membrane are
required to have a thermal stability, since the
membrane should be treated by the steam sterilization
at high temperature.
In order to prevent adsorption of protein, a
component of a preparation, to a microporous membrane.
the membrane should preferably be hydrophilic.
Consequently, it is preferable to use membrane
materials that are originally hydrophilic or to
introduce hydrophilic nature into the membrane by a
post-treatment. However, when hydrophilic materials
are used, there is a possibility of remarkable
deterioration in mechanical properties of the membrane
due to swelling of the membrane with water.
Consequently, it is preferable to prepare a hydrophilic
microporous membrane firstly by constructing a physical
structure of the membrane with hydrophobic materials,
and thereafter hydrophilizing the surface of micropore
of the constructed membrane.
In a case of industrial production of plasma
derivatives and biopharmaceuticals, it is preferable to
use a membrane having a high permeation rate for a
solution containing physiologically active substances
in order to increase productivity. However, a solution
containing physiologically active substances such as
globulin contains large amounts of suspended substances
as polymers such as dimers or more. These suspended
substances cause clogging of pores of a microporous
membrane. As a result, filtration rate is rapidly
decreased. The smaller the size of the micropore
diameter, the more this tendency is significantly
increased. As a result, filtration resistance is
sometimes rapidly increased due to an accumulation of
the suspended materials on a membrane surface. In
order to reduce the inconvenience, a pre-filter with
larger pore diameter is conventionally used to remove
the suspended substances. However, it is difficult to
remove the suspended substances completely by using a
pre-fliter. In addition, since use of two types of
filters results in an increased cost, a membrane which
does not result in clogging in the presence of the
suspended substances, is eagerly demanded.
JP-A-7-265674 discloses a polyvinylidene
fluoride membrane which can be used for the viral
removal from a solution, and a term "isotropic" is used
in the claims thereof. However, the "isotropic"
membrane often had a problem of drastic decrease in
treatment amount due to clogging or accumulation of the
suspended substances onto a membrane surface, because a
liquid for which the microporous membrane is used for
the purpose of viral removal generally contains
physiologically active substances and thus a variety of
suspended substances.
WO 99/47593 discloses a polyvinylidene
fluoride membrane which has a surface layer with
improved open pore ratio by using a specified cooling
medium, and describes that said surface layer can have
a pre-filtering function. However, the thickness of
said surface layer is not greater than 3 µm, resulting
in the problem of not exhibiting a sufficient pre-
filtering effect during filtration of a liquid
containing a variety of suspended substances such as
protein solutions.
JP-A-7-173323 discloses a polyvinylidene
fluoride microporous membrane manufactured by making a
difference between cooling rates at both membrane
surfaces from each other in a cooling process. Under
this condition, a pore diameter at the surface cooled
at slower rates becomes larger, and thus providing a
difference between pore diameters on each surface of
the membrane. A pore diameter ratio of both membrane
surfaces is specified as 4 -10 in the claims of said
publication. In the method according to said
publication, cooling speed varies continuously along a
membrane thickness direction, providing a continuous
change in a membrane structure along a membrane
thickness direction, and further a noticeable gradient
structure having a pore diameter difference of over
four times between both membrane surfaces. In such a
manufacturing method, a fine structure layer which has
a highly accurate homogeneity to realize a depth
filtration required for the viral removal, cannot be
obtained.
WO 91/16968 discloses, as a polyvinylidene
fluoride membrane to be used for the viral removal from
a solution, a microporous membrane comprising a
supporting body, a surface skin and an intermediate
porous region present between the supporting body and
the skin, produced by coating and coagulating a polymer
solution on the supporting body having pores and thus
forming the skin layer and the intermediate porous
layer onto said supporting body. However, said
microporous membrane does not have a one-piece
structure nor a fine structure layer of the present
invention.
Disclosure of the Invention
An object of the present invention is to
provide a microporous membrane with a superior
permeability. Further object of the present invention
is to provide a microporous membrane to exhibit a
performance sufficient to remove viruses and the like
and have a superior permeability for physiologically
active substances such as proteins.
After an enthusiastic study to solve the
above described problems, the present: inventors found
that a microporous membrane to exhibit a performance
sufficient to remove viruses and have a superior
permeability for physiologically active substances such
as proteins, could be obtained by forming a multilayer
structure comprising a coarse structure layer with a
large open pore ratio and a fine structure layer with a
small open pore ratio, and finally accomplished the
present invention.
Thus, the present invention provides:
[1] A multilayer microporous membrane containing
a thermoplastic resin, comprising a coarse structure
layer with a higher open pore ratio and a fine
structure layer with a lower open pore ratio, wherein
said coarse structure layer is present at least in one
membrane surface having a thickness of not less than
5.0 µm, the thickness of said fine structure layer is
not less than 50% of the whole membrane thickness, and
said coarse structure layer and said fine structure
layer are formed in one-piece.
[2] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with the above described [1], wherein said
coarse structure layer is a layer having an open pore
ratio not less than the average open pore ratio of the
whole membrane thickness + 2.0% and said fine structure
layer is a layer having an open pore ratio less than
the average open pore ratio of the whole membrane
thickness + 2.0% and in the range of "an average value
of an open pore ratio of a layer having an open pore
ratio less than the average open pore ratio of the
whole membrane thickness + 2.0%" ± 2.0% (inclusive of
both limits).
[3] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with the above described [2], wherein said
coarse structure layer has a gradient structure in
which an open pore ratio thereof is continuously
decreasing from a membrane surface toward said fine
structure layer.
[4] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[3], wherein an average pore diameter of a membrane
surface of said coarse structure layer is not less than
two times the maximum pore diameter determined by the
bubble point method.
[5] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[4], wherein said coarse structure layer is present
only in one side of the membrane surface.
[6] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[5], wherein said thermoplastic resin is a
polyvinylidene fluoride resin.
[7] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[6], wherein the maximum pore diameter determined by
the bubble point method is 10 - 100 nm.
[8] A method for manufacturing a multilayer
microporous membrane in accordance with the above
described [5], comprising the following steps (a) -
(c):
(a) a step of forming a membrane by heating a
composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and a
plasticizer at a temperature not lower than crystal
melting point of said thermoplastic resin to
homogeneously dissolve them and then extruding said
composition from a discharge opening; (b) a step of
forming a coarse structure layer and a fine structure
layer by contacting said membrane with a non-volatile
liquid which has a partial solubility for said
thermoplastic resin, to one surface of said membrane
under a heated state at a temperature not lower than
100°C and cooling the other surface of said membrane,
while said membrane is taken up at such a draw rate
that a draft ratio defined below becomes not less than
1 and not higher than 12:
Draft ratio = (draw rate of membrane)/(discharge rate
of composition at discharge opening); and
(c) a step of removing substantial portion of said
plasticizer and said non-volatile liquid.
[9] The method in accordance with the above
described [8], wherein said composition comprising a
thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer has a thermally
induced solid-liquid phase separation point.
[10] The method in accordance with the above
described [8] or [9], wherein said thermoplastic resin
is a polyvinylidene fluoride resin.
[11] The method in accordance with the above
described [10], wherein said plasticizer is at least
one selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl
phthalate, triphenyl phosphate, diphenylcresyl
phosphate and tricresyl phosphate.
[12] The method in accordance with the above
described [10], wherein said non-volatile liquid is at
least one selected from the group consisting of
phthalate esters adipate esters and sebacate esters
whose ester chains have a carbon chain length not
longer than 7, phosphate esters and citrate esters
whose ester chains have a carbon chain length not
longer than 8.
[13] The multilayer microporous membrane obtained
by a method in accordance with any one of the above
described [8] - [12].
[14] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[7] and [13], wherein membrane surfaces and an inner
surface of micropore thereof are hydrophilized.
[15] The multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[7], [13] and [14], to be used for viral removal from a
liquid containing physiologically active substances.
[16] Use of the multilayer microporous membrane in
accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[7], [13] and [14] for viral removal from a liquid
containing physiologically active substances.
[17] A method of viral removal from a liquid
containing physiologically active substances,
comprising use of the multiplayer microporous membrane
in accordance with any one of the above described [1] -
[7], [13] and [14].
Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings
Fig. 1 is a photograph by scanning electron
microscope of a cross-section of a hollow fiber like
membrane obtained in Example 1, observed at 1,000
magnifications.
Fig. 2 is a photograph by scanning electron
microscope of an inner surface vicinity of a hollow
fiber like membrane obtained in Example 1, observed at
15,000 magnifications.
Fig. 3 is a photograph by scanning electron
microscope of an inner surface (coarse structure layer
side) of a hollow fiber like membrane obtained in
Example 1, observed at 6,000 magnifications.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
Shape of the microporous membrane of the
present invention is a flat membrane type, a hollow
fiber type and the like and any shape thereof is
applicable, but a hollow fiber is preferable in view of
easiness of manufacturing.
Thickness of the multilayer microporous
membrane of the present invention is preferably 15 -
1,000 µm, more preferably 15 - 500 pun and most
preferably 20 - 100 µm. A membrane thickness thinner
than 15 pun is not preferable due to a tendency to
exhibit an insufficient strength of the microporous
membrane. A membrane thickness above 1,000 µm is also
not preferable due to a tendency to exhibit an
insufficient permeation performance.
It is essential for the microporous membrane
of the present invention to have a coarse structure
layer with a higher open pore ratio and a fine
structure layer with a lower open pore ratio, as well
as a multilayer structure wherein said coarse structure
layer is present at least in one surface of the
membrane. Said coarse structure layer is a portion
having a relatively high open pore ratio in the whole
membrane thickness, and enhances membrane processing
ability by providing a pre-filtering function for
suspended substances contained in a protein solution
and the like. In addition, said fine structure layer
is a portion having a relatively low open pore ratio in
the whole membrane thickness, which substantially
specifies the pore diameter of the membrane. In a
microporous membrane intended for the purpose of
removing minute particles such as viruses, this portion
is a layer whose function is to entrap said minute
particles.
Porosity and open pore ratio in the present
invention are the same in fundamental concept, both
corresponding to a volume ratio of void parts in a
microporous membrane. However, the former is a value
obtained from an apparent volume calculated based on a
cross-sectional area and a length of membrane, a weight
of said membrane and a true density of a membrane
material itself, whereas the latter is a ratio of an
area occupied by void parts to a cross-sectional area
of a membrane, obtained by an image analysis of a
photograph by electron microscope of a cross-section of
the membrane. In the present invention, the latter is
measured for each specified thickness along a thickness
direction of the membrane, and is used to examine a
variation in a volume ratio of void parts along a
thickness direction of the membrane. The open pore
ratio is measured for every 1 µm thickness in view of
measurement accuracy for a membrane with the maximum
pore diameter not more than 300 nm.
More specifically, open pore ratio was
obtained by dividing an observed cross-sectional
structure along a perpendicular direction against a
membrane surface of the microporous membrane into
regions with a 1 µm thickness each along a thickness
direction, and then calculating a fraction of area
occupied by voids in each divided region by an image
analysis. An average open pore ratio is obtained by
averaging an open pore ratio of each divided region for
a certain range of membrane thickness, and average open
pore ratio for the whole membrane thickness is obtained
by averaging an open pore ratio obtained for each
divided region for the whole membrane thickness.
Porosity of a microporous membrane of the
present invention is preferably 30 - 90%, more
preferably 40 - 85% and most preferably 50 - 80%. A
porosity less than 30% is not preferable due to an
insufficient filtration rate and a porosity above 90%
i is also not preferable due to not only loss of
reliability in the removal of viruses and the like but
also an insufficient strength of a microporous
membrane.
Thickness of a coarse structure layer of the
present invention is not less than 5.0 µm. A thickness
of a coarse structure layer not less than 5.0 µm can
exhibit a sufficient pre-filtering function. Thickness
of a coarse structure layer is preferably not less than
7.0 µm and more preferably not less than 10.0 µm. In
addition, a thickness of a fine structure layer
occupies not less than 50% of the whole membrane
thickness. A membrane with a thickness of fine
structure layer not less than 50% of the whole membrane
thickness can be used without lowering an removal
performance for viruses and the like. It is preferably
not less than 55% and more preferably not less than
60%.
Coarse structure layer in the present
invention is a layer which is present adjacent to a
membrane surface and has a higher open pore ratio
measured along a thickness direction, and is a layer
which has an open pore ratio (A) preferably not less
than an average open pore ratio of the whole membrane
thickness +2.0% [hereafter referred to as a coarse
structure layer (A)], more preferably + 2.5% and most
preferably +3.0%. An upper limit of open pore ratio
of a coarse structure layer is preferably not more than
an average open pore ratio of the whole membrane
thickness + 30%, more preferably not more than an
average open pore ratio of the whole membrane thickness
+ 25% and most preferably not more than an average open
pore ratio of the whole membrane thickness + 20%. An
open pore ratio of a coarse structure layer not less
than an average open pore ratio of the whole membrane
thickness + 2.0% provides a sufficiently large
structural difference from a fine structure layer, and
can exhibit pre-filtering effects and enhance
processing ability of microporous membrane. To the
contrary, an open pore ratio of a coarse structure
layer more than an average open pore ratio of the whole
membrane thickness + 30% is not preferable due to a
coarser structure of the coarse structure layer than
required and an insufficient pre-filtering function.
Coarse structure layer in the present
invention has preferably a gradient structure with an
open pore ratio continuously decreasing from a membrane
surface toward a fine structure layer. As a reason for
this preference, it is supposed that continuous
decrease in a pore diameter together with continuous
decrease in an open pore ratio allows removal of larger
suspended substances at the vicinity of the surface as
well as removal of smaller suspended substances at more
inner zone stepwisely, thus enhancing a pre-filtering
function of a coarse structure layer. A discontinuous
remarkable change in an open pore ratio at a boundary
between a coarse structure layer and a fine structure
layer is not preferable due to a decrease in filtering
rate by an accumulation of suspended substances at the
vicinity of the boundary. A gradient structure
described herein with continuous decrease in an open
pore ratio means a general tendency along a membrane
thickness direction, and thus more or less a local
inversion in an open pore ratio caused by structural
inconsistency or measurement error may be present.
Coarse structure layer in the present
invention preferably comprises a layer with an open
pore ratio not less than an average open pore ratio of
the whole membrane thickness + 5.0%, more preferably
comprises a layer with an open pore ratio not less than
an average open pore ratio of the whole membrane
thickness +8.0%. A coarse structure layer comprising
a layer with an open pore ratio not less than an
average open pore ratio of the whole membrane thickness
+ 5.0% means to have a layer with a sufficiently larger
pore diameter than a fine structure layer, allowing the
coarse structure layer to exhibit a sufficient pre-
filtering function. A layer with the maximum open pore
ratio is preferably present at the membrane surface or
at the vicinity thereof.
When the microporous membrane of the present
invention is used for viral removal in a liquid, it is
preferable that a skin layer is not present in the
surface of said microporous membrane and the maximum
pore diameter determined by the bubble point method is
preferably not less than 10 nm, more preferably not
less than 15 nm in view of a permeability of
physiologically active substances such as globulin or a
filtration rate. Presence of a skin layer may cause
abrupt lowering of permeability due to an accumulation
of suspended substances contained in a protein solution
and the like on a surface. Skin layer herein means a
layer which is present adjacent to a membrane surface
and has a smaller pore diameter than in an inner region
of membrane, and a thickness thereof is not more than 1
µm in general. Further, an upper limit of the maximum
pore diameter determined by the bubble point method
depends on the size of a target for removal such as
viruses. However, it is preferably not more than 100
nm, more preferably not more than 70 nm and preferably
not more than 50 nm in a particular case for removing
small viruses. The maximum pore diameter herein is a
value measured by the bubble point method in accordance
with ASTM F316-86.
In said microporous membrane, an average pore
diameter in the membrane surface, where a coarse
structure layer is present adjacent thereto, is
preferably at least two times of the maximum pore
diameter determined by the bubble point method, more
preferably at least three times of the maximum pore
diameter determined by the bubble point method. An
average pore diameter in the membrane surface, where a
coarse structure layer is present adjacent thereto,
less than two times of the maximum pore diameter
determined by the bubble point method is not
preferable, because the pore diameter is too small to
prevent an accumulation of suspended substances on the
surface and a decrease in filtration rate. When said
microporous membrane is used for viral removal, an
average pore diameter in a membrane surface, where a
coarse structure layer is present adjacent thereto, is
preferably not more than 3 µm, more preferably not more
than 2 µm. Said average pore diameter over 3 µm is not
preferable due to a tendency to lower a pre-filtering
function.
In the present invention, fine structure
layer is a layer with a lower open pore ratio, and is
preferably a layer which has an open pore ratio (B)
less than an average open pore ratio of the whole
membrane thickness + 2.0% and in the range of [an
average value of an open pore ratio of a layer having
an open pore ratio less than an average open pore ratio
of the whole membrane thickness + 2.0%] ± 2.0%
(inclusive of both limits) [hereafter referred to as a
fine structure layer (B)]. An open pore ratio of a
fine structure layer in the range [an average value of
an open pore ratio of a layer having an open pore ratio
less than an average open pore ratio of the whole
membrane thickness + 2.0%] ± 2.0% (inclusive of both
limits) means that a fine structure layer has a
relatively homogeneous structure, which is important in
removing viruses and the like by depth filtration.
Higher homogeneity of a fine structure layer is more
preferable, and variation range of an open pore ratio
is preferably ± 2%, and more preferably ± 1%.
Preferable example of a fine structure layer is the
intra-spherulitic void structure disclosed in WO
01/28667, and the like.
Another structural characteristic required
for depth filtration is a number of filtration steps,
which corresponds to a thickness of a fine structure
layer in the present invention. A thickness of a fine
structure layer is essentially not less than 50%, more
preferably not less than 55%, and further more
preferably not less than 60% of the whole membrane
thickness. A thickness of a fine structure layer less
than 50% of the whole membrane thickness is not
preferable because the thickness may lower an removing
performance for viruses, although it depends on
membrane thickness.
In the microporous membrane of the present
invention, an intermediate region may be present, which
does not belong to either said coarse structure layer
(A) or said fine structure layer (B). An intermediate
region herein is a layer with an open pore ratio less
than an average open pore ratio of the whole membrane +
2.0% but out of the range of [an average value of an
open pore ratio of a layer having an open pore ratio
less than an average open pore ratio of the whole
membrane thickness + 2.0%] ± 2.0% (inclusive of both
limits). Such a layer is generally present in a
boundary part between a coarse structure layer (A) and
a fine structure layer (B).
Further, in the microporous membrane of the
present invention, a coarse structure layer and a fine
structure layer are essentially formed in one-piece.
One-piece formation of a coarse structure layer and a
fine structure layer herein means that a coarse
structure layer and a fine structure layer are
simultaneously formed in manufacturing of a microporous
membrane. In this case, an intermediate region may be
present in a boundary part of a coarse structure layer
and a fine structure layer. Therefore, a membrane
manufactured by coating a layer with a relatively small
pore diameter onto a supporting body with a large pore
diameter and a membrane manufactured by laminating
various membranes with different pore diameters are not
included in the multilayer microporous membrane of the
present invention. Membranes manufactured by coating
or laminating various membranes with different pore
diameters have such drawbacks that suspended substances
tend to accumulate between a supporting body and coated
layers, because connection of pores is lowered or a
pore diameter varies drastically and discontinuously
between two layers.
Water permeation rate of the microporous
membrane of the present invention varies depending on
pore diameter, but is preferably from 2 x 10-11 to 3 x
10-8, more preferably from 5 x 10-11 to 1.5 x 10-8 and
most preferably from 8 x 10-11 to 8.5 x 10-9. Said water
permeation rate is a converted value to a rate for a
membrane thickness of 25 µm in units of m3/m2/sec/Pa/25
µm. A water permeation rate less than 2 x 10"11 is not
preferable because a practical water permeation rate
cannot be obtained as a separation membrane. Further,
a water permeation rate over 3 x 10-8 cannot be
practically obtained in consideration of maintaining
strength of microporous membrane or reliability of
viral removal.
Tensile break strength of the microporous
membrane of the present invention is preferably from 1
x 106 to 1 x 108 N/m2, more preferably from 1.5 x 106 to
8 x 107 N/m2 and most preferably from 2 x 106 to 5 x 107
N/m2 at least in one axial direction. A tensile break
strength below 1 x 106 N/m2 is not preferable because it
tends to cause troubles in microporous membrane such as
damages by bending, friction and foreign matters or a
rupture by a pressure applied at filtration. To the
contrary, a tensile break strength over 1 x 108 N/m2 has
no particular problem, however, such strong microporous
membrane is practically difficult to be manufactured.
Tensile break elongation of the microporous
membrane of the present invention is preferably from 10
to 2,000%, more preferably from 20 to 1,500% and most
preferably from 30 to 1,000% at least in one axial
direction. A tensile break elongation below 10% is not
preferable because it tends to cause troubles in the
microporous membrane such as damages by bending.
friction and foreign matters or a rupture by a pressure
applied, at filtration. To the contrary, a tensile
break elongation over 2,000% has no particular problem.
However, such microporous membrane is practically
difficult to be manufactured.
The microporous membrane of the present
invention contains thermoplastic resin and a ratio of
said thermoplastic resing in the membrane is preferably
not less than 50% by weight, more preferably not less
than 70% by weight and most preferably not less than
80% by weight based on the total resin amount. A ratio
of a thermoplastic resin in a membrane less than 50% by
weight based on the total resin amount is not
preferable because it causes problems such as a
decreased mechanical strength of membrane.
Thermoplastic resins used to manufacture the
microporous membrane of the present invention are
crystalline thermoplastic resin used in conventional
compression, extrusion, injection, inflation and blow
moldings, and includes polyolefin resins such as
polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin and poly(4-
methyl-1-pentene) resin; polyester resins such as
poly(ethylene terephthalate) resin, poly(butylene
terephthalate) resin, poly(ethylene terenaphthalate)
resin, poly(butylene naphthalate) resin and
poly(cyclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate) resin;
polyamide resins such as nylon 6, nylon 66, nylon 610,
nylon 612, nylon 11, nylon 12 and nylon 46;
fluororesins such as polyvinylidene fluoride resin,
ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene resin and
poly(chlorotrifluoroethylene) resin; polyphenylene
ether resins; polyacetal resins and the like.
In addition, in view of a thermal resistance
required for applying a steam sterilization, at least
one kind of thermoplastic resins constituting the
microporous membrane of the present invention is a
thermoplastic resin having a crystal melting point
preferably at 140 - 300°C, more preferably at 145 -
250°C and most preferably at 150 - 200°C. Further, in
order to attain a thermal resistance of a membrane
itself in blending with a resin having a crystal
melting point lower than 140°C, an amount of a
thermoplastic resin having a crystal melting point at
140 - 300°C is preferably not less than 50% by weight,
more preferably not less than 70% by weight and further
more preferably not less than 80% by weight based on
the total resin amount.
Blending at least one type of thermoplastic
resin having a crystal melting point at 140 - 300°C can
give a thermal resistance for a steam sterilization
process suitably adopted in applications to a medical
separation membrane or a high temperature filtration
process required as an important performance in other
industrial applications, to a microporous membrane. On
the other hand, use of a thermoplastic resin having a
crystal melting point over 300°C makes it difficult to
homogeneously dissolve the resin and a plasticizer by
heating in a manufacturing method of the present
invention, and thus deteriorates processability.
Among said thermoplastic resins,
polyvinylidene fluoride resins are particularly
preferable due to a good balance between thermal
resistance and processability. Polyvinylidene fluoride
resin described herein means a fluororesin containing a
vinylidene fluoride unit in a basic backbone, and is a
resin called, in general, as PVDF in abbreviation. As
these polyvinylidene fluoride resins, a homopolymer of
vinylidene fluoride (VDF) and copolymers of vinylidene
fluoride (VDF) with one or two kinds of monomers
selected from the monomer group of hexafluoropropylene
(HFP), pentafluoropropylene (PFP), tetrafluoroethylene
(TFE), chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) and
perfluoromethylvinyl ether (PFMVE) can be used. Said
homopolymer can also be used by blending with said
copolymer. In the present invention, use of a
polyvinylidene fluoride resin containing 30 - 100% by
weight of the homopolymer is preferable due to an
improved crystallinity and a high strength of
microporous membrane, and use of homopolymer alone is
more preferable.
The microporous membrane of the present
invention may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. However,
for a filtration of a solution containing
physiologically active substances such as proteins, a
membrane surface or a micropore surface is preferably
hydrophilic. Generally, a degree of hydrophilic nature
can be evaluated by a contact angle. An average value
of advancing contact angle and regressive contact angle
at 25°C is preferably not more than 60 degrees, more
preferably not more than 45 degrees and most preferably
not more than 30 degrees. As a simple evaluation
method, if water penetrates spontaneously into a pore
when a microporous membrane is contacted with water,
the microporous membrane can be judged as sufficiently
hydrophilic.
An average molecular weight of a
thermoplastic resin used in the present invention is
preferably 50,000 - 5,000,000, more preferably 100,000
- 2,000,000 and most preferably 150,000 - 1,000,000.
Said molecular weight means a weight average molecular
weight obtained by a measurement by gel permeation
chromatography (GPC). For a resin with a molecular
weight above 1,000,000, since it is, in general,
difficult to perform an accurate GPC measurement, a
viscosity average molecular weight by a viscosity
method can be adopted as an alternative. An average
molecular weight smaller than 50,000 is not preferable
due to a lower melt tension in a melt processing
resulting in a poor processability or a lower
mechanical strength of membrane. An average molecular
weight larger than 5,000,000 is not preferable due to a
difficulty in homogeneous melt mixing.
A typical manufacturing method for a
microporous membrane of the present invention will be
described hereinbelow.
A typical manufacturing method for the
microporous membrane of the present invention comprises
the following (a) - (c) steps:
(a) a steps of forming a membrane by heating a
composition comprising a thermoplastic resin and a
plasticizer at a temperature not lower than crystal
melting point of said thermoplastic resin to
homogeneously dissolve them and then extruding said
composition from a discharge opening;
(b) a step of forming a coarse structure layer and a
fine structure layer by contacting said membrane with a
non-volatile liquid which has a partial solubility for
said thermoplastic resin, to one surface of said
membrane under a heated state at a temperature not
lower than 100°C and cooling the other surface of said
membrane, while said membrane is taken up at such a
draw rate that a draft ratio defined below becomes not
less than 1 and not higher than 12:
Draft ratio = (draw rate of membrane)/(discharge rate
of composition at discharge opening); and
(c) a step of removing substantial portion of said
plasticizer and said non-volatile liquid.
Polymer concentration of a thermoplastic
resin used in the present invention is preferably 20 -
90% by weight, more preferably 30 - 80% by weight and
most preferably 35 - 70% by weight in a composition
containing a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer. A
polymer concentration lower than 20% by weight results
in disadvantages such as lowered membrane forming
property and insufficient mechanical strength.
Further, as a virus removal membrane, a pore diameter
of a microporous membrane obtained becomes too large
resulting in an insufficient viral removal performance.
A polymer concentration over 90% by weight makes a pore
diameter as well as a porosity of a microporous
membrane obtained too small, and thus lowers filtration
rate to an impractical level.
As a plasticizer used in the present
invention, a non-volatile solvent is used which can
form a homogeneous solution at a temperature not lower
than crystal melting point of a resin in mixing with a
thermoplastic resin in a composition to manufacture a
microporous membrane. A non-volatile solvent mentioned
herein is a solvent having a boiling point not lower
than 250°C under the atmospheric pressure. Form of a
plasticizer may be liquid or solid at around an ambient
temperature of 20°C. In order to manufacture a membrane
having a small pore diameter and a homogeneous fine
structure layer to be used for viral removal, use of a
so-called "solid-liquid phase separation" type of
plasticizer is preferable such as a plasticizer having
a thermally induced type solid-liquid phase separation
point at a temperature not lower than the ambient
temperature in cooling a homogeneous solution with a
thermoplastic resin. Among them, although some
plasticizers have a thermally induced liquid-liquid
phase separation point at a temperature not lower than
the ambient temperature in cooling a homogeneous
solution with a thermoplastic resin, use of the liquid-
liquid phase separation type of plasticizer generally
tends to make a pore diameter of a microporous membrane
obtained larger. A plasticizer herein may be used in
single or as a mixture of a plurality of substances.
Thermally induced solid-liquid phase
separation point can be determined by measuring an
exothermic peak temperature of said resin by a thermal
analysis (DSC), using a sample prepared in advance by
melt mixing a composition containing specified
concentrations of a thermoplastic resin and a
plasticizer. Further, a crystallization point of said
resin can be determined similarly by a thermal analysis
using a sample prepared in advance by melt mixing said
resin.
Plasticizers preferable in manufacturing a
membrane having a small pore diameter and a homogeneous
fine structure layer to be used for viral removal
include those disclosed in WO 01/28667. That is, they
are a plasticizer having a phase separation point
depression constant a of a composition, defined below,
of 0 - 40°C, preferably a plasticizer having the
constant of 1 - 35°C and more preferably a plastisizer
having the constant of 5 - 30°C. A phase separation
point depression constant over 40°C is not preferable
due to reduced uniformity of pore diameter or lower
strength.
a = 100 x (Tc0 - Tc) + (100 - C)
[wherein, a is a phase separation point depression
constant (°C), Tc0 is a crystallization point of a
thermoplastic resin, Tc is a thermally induced solid-
liquid phase separation point (°C) and C is a
concentration of a thermoplastic resin in a composition
(% by weight)].
For example, when polyvinylidene fluoride
resin is selected as a thermoplastic resin, a
particularly preferable plsticizer is dicyclohexyl
phtharate (DCHP), triphenyl phosphate (TPP),
diphenylcresyl phosphate (CDP) and tricresyl phosphate
(TCP).
The first method for homogeneously dissolving
a composition containing a thermoplastic resin and a
plasticizer in the present invention comprises
introducing said resin into a continuous resin kneading
apparatus such as an extruder and then introducing a
plasticizer in certain ratio, as heat-melting the resin
to carry out screw kneading of them, thereby obtaining
a homogeneous solution. Shape of the resin charged may
be any of powder, granule or pellet. Shape of the
plasticizer is preferably liquid at an ambient
temperature in a case to dissolve homogeneously by such
a method. As an extruder, a single screw type
extruder, a counter-rotating twin screw type extruder
and a co-rotating twin screw type extruder can be used.
The second method for homogeneously
dissolving a composition containing a thermoplastic
resin and a plasticizer comprises pre-mixing and
dispersing a resin and a plasticizer using an agitator
such as a Henschel mixer, and introducing the thus
obtained composition into a continuous resin kneading
apparatus such as an extruder to knead the composition,
thereby obtaining a homogeneous solution. Shape of a
composition introduced may be slurry in the case of the
plasticizer being liquid at an ambient temperature, and
powder or granule in the case of the plasticizer being
a solid at an ambient temperature.
The third method for homogeneously dissolving
a composition containing a thermoplastic resin and a
plasticizer is a method to use a simple resin kneading
apparatus such as Brabender or mill, or a method to
perform melt kneading in other batch type kneading
containers. This method, although not good in
productivity due to a batch process, has advantages
such as simplicity and high flexibility.
In the present invention, a composition
containing a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer is
heated at a temperature not lower than a crystal
melting point of a thermoplastic resin, followed by
being extruded from a discharge opening of a T-die, a
circular die or circular spinneret into a shape such as
a flat membrane or a hollow fiber in the step (a), and
then transferred to the step (b) for cooling and
solidification to make a formed product, in which a
fine structure layer is formed as well as a coarse
structure layer is formed adjacent to a membrane
surface.
In the present invention, a homogeneously
heated and dissolved composition containing a
thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer is extruded from
a discharge opening, and a coarse structure layer and a
fine structure layer are formed by contacting said
membrane with a non-volatile liquid, which has a
partial solubility for said thermoplastic resin, in one
surface of a membrane under a heated state at a
temperature not lower than 100°C and cooling the other
surface of a membrane, while said membrane is drawn at
such a draw rate that a draft ratio defined below
becomes not less than 1 and not higher than 12;
Draft ratio=(draw rate of membrane)/(discharge speed of
composition at discharge opening).
Said draft ratio is preferably not lower than
1.5 and not higher than 9, more preferably not lower
than 1.5 and not higher than 7. A draft ratio below 1
lowers processability because no tension is given to a
membrane, and a draft ratio above 12 makes difficult to
form a coarse structure layer with a sufficient
thickness because a membrane is extended too much. An
extrusion rate of a composition at a discharge opening
herein is given by the following equation:
Extrusion rate of composition at discharge opening =
(volume of composition extruded per unit time)/(area of
discharge opening)
A range of extrusion rate is preferably 1
60 m/min, more preferably 3-40 m/min. An extrusion
rate less than 1 m/min causes problems such as lowering
of productivity and an increased fluctuation in an
extrusion amount. To the contrary, an extrusion rate
over 60 m/min may cause turbulence at a discharge
opening due to an extrusion amount that is too large,
resulting in instability of an extrusion state.
Draw rate can be set depending on an
extrusion rate but is preferably 1 - 200 m/min, more
preferably 3 - 150 m/min. A draw rate less than 1
m/min lowers productivity and membrane forming
property, whereas a draw rate over 200 m/min tends to
cause a membrane fracture due to a shorter cooling time
and a larger tension given to a membrane.
A preferable method for forming a coarse
structure layer is a method to extrude a composition
containing a thermoplastic resin and a. plasticizer from
an discharge opening into a flat membrane or a hollow
fiber like membrane, then to contact at least one
surface of an unhardened membrane thus formed with a
non-volatile liquid which has a partial solubility to a
thermoplastic resin. In this method, a coarse
structure layer is formed by a diffusion of a liquid
contacted into an inside of membrane and a partial
dissolution of a thermoplastic resin. A liquid which
has a partial solubility to a thermoplastic resin
herein is a liquid which can form a homogeneous
solution only at a temperature not lower than 100°C,
when mixed with a thermoplastic resin in a
concentration of 50% by weight, and preferably a liquid
which can form a homogeneous solution at a temperature
not lower than 100°C and not higher than 250°C, and more
preferably a liquid which can form a homogeneous
solution at a temperature not lower than 120°C and not
higher than 200°C. Use of a liquid which homogeneously
dissolves at a temperature below 100°C as a contacting
liquid, may cause disadvantages such as lowering of
membrane forming property due to insufficient cooling
and solidification of a solution of a composition
containing a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer, an
increased thickness of a coarse structure layer more
than required and a too large pore diameter. A liquid
which can not form a homogeneous solution at a
temperature below 250°C makes difficult to form a coarse
structure layer with a sufficient thickness due to a
lower solubility to a thermoplastic resin. In
addition, a non-volatile liquid described herein is a
liquid having a boiling point above 250°C under 1
atmosphere of pressure.
For example, when polyvinylidene fluoride
resins are selected as a thermoplastic resin,
preferably phthalate esters, adipate esters and
sebacate esters whose ester chains have a carbon chain
length not longer than 7, and phosphate esters and
citrate esters whose ester chains have a carbon chain
length not longer than 8 can be used; and diheptyl
phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate,
dimethyl phthalate, dibutyl adipate, dibutyl sebacate,
tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, tributyl phosphate and
tributyl acetyl citrate are particularly preferable.
However, a plasticizer whose ester chain has a cyclic
structure such as phenyl, cresyl or cyclohexyl group,
for example, dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP), triphenyl
phosphate (TPP), diphenylcresyl phosphate (CDP) and
tricresyl phosphate (TCP) and the like is exceptionally
not preferable, because such plasticizer has less
ability to form a coarse structure layer.
Temperature of a contacting liquid used to
introduce a coarse structure layer is not lower than
100°C, preferably not lower than 120°C and not higher
than a temperature of a homogeneous solution of a
thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer, more preferably
not lower than 130°C and not higher than [a temperature
of a homogeneous solution of a thermoplastic resin and
a plasticizer - 10°C]. A temperature of said contacting
liquid below 100°C tends to make if difficult to form a
coarse structure layer with a sufficient thickness due
to a lower solubility to a thermoplastic resin. A
temperature over [a temperature of a homogeneous
solution of a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer]
lowers a membrane forming property.
When a coarse structure layer is introduced
only in one surface of a microporous membrane, a
cooling method of the other surface, which corresponds
to a side of a fine structure layer, can be in
accordance with conventional methods. That is, a
method to cool down by contacting with a heat
conductive body can be used. As a heat conductive
body, metal, water, air or a plasticizer itself can be
used. More specifically, such a method for introducing
a coarse structure layer is possible as extruding a
homogeneous solution containing a thermoplastic resin
and a plasticizer through a T-die and the like as a
sheet, cooling by contacting with a metal roll and
contacting the other surface of membrane, which does
not contact with a roll, with a non-volatile liquid
having a partial solubility to a thermoplastic resin.
Alternatively, such a method is also possible as
extruding a homogeneous solution containing a
thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer from a circular
die or a circular spinneret in a tubular or hollow
fiber like form, passing a non-volatile liquid having a
partial solubility to a thermoplastic resin through
inside of said tube or hollow fiber to form a coarse
structure layer in an inner surface side, and cooling
an outside by contacting with a cooling medium such as
water.
When coarse structure layers are introduced
in both surfaces of a microporous membrane, a
homogeneous solution containing a thermoplastic resin
and a plasticizer is extruded from a T-die, a circular
die or a circular spinneret in a specified shape, then
contacted in both surfaces of said solution with a non-
volatile liquid having a partial solubility to a
thermoplastic resin to form coarse structure layers,
thereafter cooled and solidified. A cooling method in
this process can be in accordance with conventional
methods. If a time from contacting with a non-volatile
liquid having a partial solubility to a thermoplastic
resin to starting to cool becomes longer, disadvantages
may arise such as a lowered membrane forming property
and a lowered membrane strength. Therefore, the time
from contacting with a liquid to starting to cool is
preferably not longer than 30 seconds, more preferably
not longer than 20 seconds and most preferably not
longer than 10 seconds.
In a manufacturing method for the microporous
membrane of the present invention, cooling rate in
cooling and solidification is preferably sufficiently
fast to form a uniform fine structure layer with a
small pore diameter. Cooling rate is preferably not
slower than 50°C/min, more preferably 100 - 1 x 105
°C/min and further more preferably 200 - 2 x 104 °C/min.
More concretely, a method to contact with a metal-made
chill roll or water is suitably used, and in
particular, contacting with water is a preferable
method because rapid cooling can be attained by an
evaporation of water.
In the present invention, an extraction
solvent is used to remove a plasticizer. Preferably,
an extraction solvent is a poor solvent for a
thermoplastic resin and a good solvent for a
plasticizer as well as having a boiling point lower
than the melting point of a microporous membrane. Such
an extraction solvent includes hydrocarbons such as
hexane and cyclohexane; halogenated hydrocarbons such
as methylene chloride and 1,1,1-trichloroethane;
alcohols such as ethanol and isopropanol; ethers such
as diethyl ether and tetrahydrofurane; ketones such as
acetone and 2-butanone; and water.
The first method for removing a plasticizer
in the present invention is done by immersing a
microporous membrane cut out into a specified size into
a vessel containing an extraction solvent, washing it
sufficiently, then drying adhered solvent by air drying
or hot air drying. Repeated operations of such
immersion and washing are preferable to reduce residual
plasticizer in a microporous membrane. It is
preferable to fix both ends of a microporous membrane
during a series of operations of immersion, washing and
drying to suppress shrinkage of microporous membrane.
The second method for removing a plasticizer
in the present invention is done by continuously
feeding a microporous membrane into a tank filled with
an extraction solvent, immersing in a tank in
sufficient time to remove a plasticizer, then drying
adhered solvent. In this process, it is preferable,
for improving an extraction efficiency, to adopt well
known means such as a multistage method in which the
inside of a tank is divided into a plurality of small
tanks and a microporous membrane is fed sequentially
into the small tanks with decreasing concentrations, or
a counter-flow method in which an extraction solvent is
fed against a running direction of a microporous
membrane to obtain a gradient concentration. In both
the first and the second methods, it is important to
substantially remove a plasticizer from a microporous
membrane. "Substantially remove" herein means to
remove a plasticizer in a microporous membrane to such
a degree as not to impair a performance as a separation
membrane. A residual amount of a plasticizer in a
microporous membrane is preferably not more than 1% by
weight, and more preferably not more than 100 ppm by
weight. A residual amount of a plasticizer in a
microporous membrane can be quantitatively determined
by gas chromatography or liquid chromatography. It is
also preferable to heat an extraction solvent at a
temperature within the range below a boiling point of
said solvent, preferably below a boiling point - 5°C, to
accelerate diffusions of a plasticizer and a solvent
and thus improve extraction efficiency.
In the present invention, if a heat treatment
is applied to a microporous membrane before, after or
before and after the step of removing a plasticizer,
such effects can be obtained as a reduced shrinkage
during a removal process of a plasticizer and
improvements in membrane strength and heat resistance.
Method for heat treatment includes placing a
microporous membrane in hot air, immersing a
microporous membrane in a heating medium and contacting
a microporous membrane with a metal roll at an elevated
and regulated temperature. A heat treatment under a
state of fixed dimension is preferable to prevent
particularly collapsing of micropores.
Temperature for heat treatment varies
depending on an object or a melting point of a
thermoplastic resin, but for a polyvinylidene fluoride
membrane used for viral removal, the temperature is
preferably 121-170°C, and more preferably 125-165°C. A
temperature of 121°C is generally adopted as a
temperature for high pressure steam sterilization and a
heat treatment at a temperature not lower than this
makes it possible to prevent shrinkage or deformation
during a high pressure steam sterilization. A
temperature above 170°C may cause problems such as a
membrane fracture and collapsing of micropores during a
heat treatment, because the temperature is close to a
melting point of polyvinylidene fluoride.
When the microporous membrane of the present
invention is used for an application of viral removal,
it becomes necessary to provide a hydrophilic nature to
a membrane to prevent clogging caused by adsorption of
proteins. Method for hydrophilization includes, for
example, immersing a microporous membrane in a solution
containing a surfactant, followed by drying and
allowing a surfactant to remain in a microporous
membrane; grafting of a hydrophilic acrylic monomer,
methacrylic monomer or the like onto a pore surface of
a microporous membrane by irradiating an actinic
radiation such as electron beam or gamma ray or by
using a peroxide; blending a hydrophilic polymer in
membrane formation in advance; and immersing a
microporous membrane in a solution containing a
hydrophilic polymer, followed by drying to make a
coated film of a hydrophilic polymer on a pore surface
of a microporous membrane. The grafting method is most
preferable in view of durability of a hydrophilic
property or possible risk of leakage of hydrophilic
additives. In particular, a hydrophilization treatment
by a radiation-induced graft polymerization method
disclosed in JP-A-62-179540, JP-A-62-258711 and USP
No.4,885,086 is preferable in view of forming an
uniform hydrophilic layer in an inner surface of
micropores in the whole region of membrane.
A hydrophilization treatment by a radiation-
induced graft polymerization method herein comprises a
step of generating radicals in a resin consisting
microporous membrane and a step of contacting a
microporous membrane with hydrophilic monomer(s).
Either a method of generating radicals and then
contacting with hydrophilic monomers or a method of
reverse order thereof is possible, but the method of
generating radicals and then contacting with
hydrophilic monomers is preferable from the viewpoint
that less free oligomer is formed from hydrophilic
monomer(s).
In contacting a microporous membrane with
hydrophilic monomer(s), hydrophilic monomer(s) may be
any state of gas, liquid or solution, but a liquid or a
solution state is preferable, and a solution state is
particularly preferable in order to form a uniform
hydrophilized layer.
As a hydrophilic monomer, acrylic and
methacrylic monomers having sulfone group, carboxylic
group, amide group and neutral hydroxyl group can be
suitably used, but monomers with a neutral hydroxyl
group are particularly preferable in filtering a
solution containing proteins. Further, in grafting
hydrophilic monomer(s), an addition of a monomer having
two or more vinyl groups as a crosslinking agent is
preferable to suppress swelling of a hydrophilized
layer.
In the present invention, an additional
treatment may further be carried out so long as not to
impair the microporous membrane of the present
invention. The additional treatment includes a
crosslinking treatment by an ionizing radiation and the
like and an introduction of a functional group using a
chemical modification of surface.
In a composition used in the present
invention, additional additives may further be mixed
depending on an object, such as antioxidant, crystal
nucleating agent, antistatic agent, flame retardant,
lubricant and UV absorbing agent.
The microporous membrane with heat resistance
of the present invention can be utilized in a wide
range of applications such as a separation membrane for
medical use for removal of viruses and bacteria,
thickening or culture medium; a filter for industrial
process to remove minute particles from chemicals,
treated water or the like; a separation membrane for an
oil/water separation or a liquid/gas separation; a
separation membrane for purification of water supply
and sewage; a separator for lithium ion battery and the
like; and a solid electrolyte supporting body for
polymer cell, and the like.
The present invention will be described in
detail by using Examples. Test methods shown in
Examples are as follows:
(1) Outer diameter, inner diameter and membrane
thickness of a hollow fiber
Outer diameter and inner diameter of hollow
fiber like microporous membrane were determined by-
photographing a vertically cut cross-section of said
membrane using a stereoscopic microscope. A membrane
thickness was calculated as 1/2 of a difference between
an outer diameter and an inner diameter of a hollow
fiber.
(2) Porosity
Porosity was calculated using the following
equation from measurement results of a volume and a
weight of a microporous membrane.
Porosity(%) = [1 - weight ÷ (resin density x volume)] x
100
(3) Water permeation rate
Water permeation amount for pure water was
measured at 25°C by a dead end filtration under a
constant pressure. Water permeation rate was
calculated using the following equation based on a
membrane surface area, a filtration pressure (0.1 MPa),
a filtration time and a membrane thickness.
Water permeation rate (m3/m2/sec/Pa/25 µm) = permeation
amount÷[membrane surface area x pressure difference x
filtration time x (25 µm/membrane thickness)]
(4) Maximum pore diameter
Maximum pore diameter (nm) was obtained by a
conversion of bubble point (Pa) determined by the
bubble point method in accordance with ASTM F316-86. A
fluorocarbon liquid with a surface tension of 12 mN/m
(Perfluorocarbon coolant FX-3250 (tradename) made by
Sumitomo 3M Ltd.) was used as a test solution for
immersing a membrane.
(5) Tensile break strength and tensile break elongation
Tensile test was conducted using "Autograph
Model AG-A" made by Shimadzu Corp. under the conditions
of test piece length:100 mm; distance between chucks
(gauge length):50 mm; cross head speed:200 mm/min; and
measurement temperature:23±2°C. Tensile break strength
and tensile break elongation were calculated by the
following equations from a load at break, a strain at
break and a cross-sectional area of membrane.
Tensile break strength (N/m2) = load at break ÷ cross-
sectional area of membrane
Tensile break elongation (%) = (strain at break ÷
distance between chucks) x 100
(6) Structural observation of a microporous membrane
A microporous membrane cut out in an
appropriate size was fixed on a sample holder using an
electrically conductive both-side adhesive tape, and
coated with gold to provide a sample for observation.
Structural observation was conducted on a surface and a
cross-section of a microporous membrane using a high
resolution scanning electron microscope (HRSEM) under
an acceleration voltage of 5.0 kV and a specified
magnification.
(7) Open pore ratio and average open pore ratio
As described above, open pore ratio was
obtained by dividing an observation result of cross-
sectional structure along a vertical direction against
a membrane surface of a microporous membrane into
regions with a 1 µm thickness each along a thickness
direction, and then calculating a fraction of area
occupied by voids in each divided region by an image
analysis. In this procedure, photographing by an
electron microscope was conducted at 15,000
magnifications. Average open pore ratio is an average
value of open pore ratios for regions in a certain
membrane thickness.
(8) Thickness of a coarse structure layer and ratio of
a fine structure layer to the whole membrane thickness
In the above described measurement of open
pore ratio, it was judged whether each divided region
met the definitions of a fine structure layer and a
coarse structure layer defined in the. present
specification. That is, a coarse structure layer is a
continuous region which is present adjacent to a
membrane surface and has an open pore ratio measured
along a thickness direction not less than 2% larger
than an average open pore ratio for the whole membrane
thickness. A fine structure layer is a region other
than a coarse structure layer, which has an open pore
ratio measured along a thickness direction within a
range less than an average open pore ratio for a region
excluding the coarse structure layer ±2%. A ratio of
a fine structure layer to the whole membrane thickness
is a value obtained by summing up a thickness of each
satisfying divided region and then dividing the sum by
the whole membrane thickness.
(9) Average pore diameter of a surface in a coarse
structure layer side
The number and an area of pores present in a
surface were measured by an image analysis from
structural observation results on a surface in a coarse
structure layer side. A circle equivalent diameter was
obtained from an average area per pore, assuming each
pore as a circle. This circle equivalent diameter was
used as an average pore diameter of a surface in a
coarse structure layer side. Photographing by an
electron microscope for this measurement was conducted
at 6,000 magnifications.
(10) Cooling rate
In a cooling and solidifying step, a cooling
rate in a case of a coolant bath such as water was
determined as follows using an infrared thermometer. A
colorless transparent composition in a molten state was
cooled with cold air, and a solidification temperature
was determined by measuring a temperature of the
composition using a infrared thermometer when the
composition began to whiten by crystallization and
solidification. Then, said composition was introduced
into a coolant bath to be cooled and solidified, and a
temperature of the composition just before contacting
with the coolant bath was measured using an infrared
thermometer, as an initial temperature. Then, a
solidification time was measured as a period from a
time when said composition contacted with the coolant
bath to a time when said composition whitened by
cooling and solidifying. A cooling rate was calculated
according to the following equation:
Cooling rate (°C/min) = 60 x (initial temperature -
solidification temperature) ÷ solidification time (sec)
(11) Filtration test of a 3% solution of bovine
immunoglobulin
A bovine immunoglobulin solution which was
made by Life Technology Co. Ltd. was diluted to 3% by
weight with physiological saline (made by Otsuka
Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.) specified by Japanese
Pharmacopoeia and then pre-filtered with PLANOVA 35N
made by Asahi Kasei Corp. to remove foreign materials
was used as a test liquid for filtration. As a result
of a measurement of a molecular weight distribution for
the bovine immunoglobulin in said test liquid for
filtration by a liquid chromatography, it was found
that a ratio of multimers such as dimer or more was
20%. Said test liquid for filtration was filtered by a
dead end filtration under a filtration pressure of 0.3
MPa and a filtration temperature at 25°C to measure an
integrated permeation amount for a filtration time of 3
hours and permeation rates at 5 min., 30 min. and 60
min. after starting the filtration.
Example 1
A composition consisting of 44% by weight of
a polyvinylidene fluoride resin (SOFEF1012 made by
SOLVAY, crystal melting point of 173°C) and 56% by
weight of dicyclohexyl phthalate (made by Osaka Org.
Chem. Ind. Ltd., industrial grade) was mixed under an
agitation using a Henschel mixer at 70°C, followed by
cooling to obtain a powder-like material, which was
charged to a hopper of twin screw extruder
(Laboplastmill Model 50C 150 made by Toyo Seiki
Seisaku-Syo, Ltd.) and melt mixed at 210°C to attain a
homogeneous dissolution. Subsequently, the composition
was extruded in a form of a hollow fiber from a
spinneret consisting of a circular orifice with an
inner diameter of 0.8 mm and an outer diameter of 1.2
mm at an extrusion rate of 12 m/min, while diheptyl
phthalate (made by Sanken Chem. Co., Ltd.) was fed at
130°C into a hollow part at a rate of 7 ml/min. The
extrudate was cooled and solidified in a water bath
thermo-controlled at 40°C, and wound up on a hank at a
rate of 60 m/min (a draft ratio of 5 times).
Thereafter, dicyclohexyl phthalate and diheptyl
phthalate were removed by an extraction with 99%
methanol denaturated ethanol (made by Imazu Chem. Co.,
Ltd., industrial grade) and adhered ethanol was
replaced with water. The resultant membrane was then
thermally treated at 125°C for 1 hour using high
pressure steam sterilization equipment (HV-85 made by
Hirayama Seisaku-Syo Co., Ltd.) in immersed state in
water. The membrane was fixed at a constant length
during the thermal treatment to prevent shrinkage.
After that, the membrane was dried in an oven at 110°C
to obtain a hollow fiber like microporous membrane. A
maximum pore diameter of the thus obtained microporous
membrane was 40 nm, and observation results of a cross-
sectional structure of the membrane by a scanning
electron microscope showed that a thickness of a coarse
structure layer formed adjacent to an inner surface
side was 12 µm and a ratio of a fine structure layer to
the whole membrane thickness was 82%. A whole image of
cross-section, a magnified photograph of the vicinity
of an inner surface and a photograph of an inner
surface in a coarse structure layer side of the hollow
fiber like membrane are shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and
Fig. 3, respectively. An open pore ratio for each
divided region of 1 µm thickness along a thickness
direction from an inner surface side of the microporous
membrane and physical properties of said microporous
membrane are shown in Table 1 and Table 2,
respectively.
Example 2
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 1 except that a
polyvinylidene fluoride resin and dicyclohexyl
phthalate were melt mixed to get a homogeneously
dissolved solution, which was extruded in a form of
hollow fiber from a spinneret at an extrusion rate of
9.5 m/min (a draft ratio of 6.3 times). A maximum pore
diameter of thus obtained microporous membrane was 40
nm, and observation results of a cross-sectional
structure of the membrane by a scanning electron
microscope showed that a thickness of a coarse
structure layer formed adjacent to an inner surface
side was 9 µm and a ratio of a fine structure layer to
the whole membrane thickness was 82%. Physical
properties of this microporous membrane are shown in
Table 2.
Example 3
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 1 except that a
polyvinylidene fluoride resin and dicyclohexyl
phthalate were melt mixed to get a homogeneously
dissolved solution, which was extruded in a form of
hollow fiber from a spinneret at an extrusion rate of
5.5 m/min (a draft ratio of 10.9 times). A maximum
pore diameter of the thus obtained microporous membrane
was 39 nm, and observation results of a cross-sectional
structure of the membrane by a scanning electron
microscope showed that a thickness of a coarse
structure layer formed adjacent to an inner surface
side was 7 µm and a ratio of a fine structure layer to
the whole membrane thickness was 84%. Physical
properties of this microporous membrane are shown in
Table 2.
Comparative Example 1
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 3 except that
diphenylcresyl phosphate (made by Daihachi Chem. Ind.
Co., Ltd., industrial grade) was fed into a hollow part
at 7 ml/min. A maximum pore diameter of the thus
obtained microporous membrane was 38 nm, and
observation results of a cross-sectional structure of
the membrane showed that a thickness of a coarse
structure layer formed adjacent to an inner surface
side was 3 µm and a ratio of a fine structure layer to
the whole membrane thickness was 90%. Physical
properties of this microporous membrane are shown in
Table 2.
Comparative Example 2
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 3 except that di(2-
ethylhexyl) phosphate (made by Daihachi Chem. Ind. Co.,
Ltd., industrial grade) was fed into a hollow part at 7
ml/min. A maximum pore diameter of the thus obtained
microporous membrane was 39 nm, and observation results
of a cross-sectional structure of the membrane showed
that a thickness of a coarse structure layer formed
adjacent to an inner surface side was thinner than 1 µm
and a ratio of a fine structure layer to the whole
membrane thickness was about 100%.
Example 4
A composition consisting of 44% by weight of
a polyvinylidene fluoride resin (SOFEF1012 made by
SOLVAY, crystal melting point of 173°C) and 56% by
weight of dicyclohexyl phthalate (made by OSAKA ORGANIC
CHEMICAL IND. LTD., industrial grade) was mixed under
an agitation using a Henschel mixer at 70°C, followed by
cooling to obtain a powder-like material, which was
charged to a hopper of twin screw extruder
(Laboplastmill Model 50C 150 made by Toyo Seiki
Seisaku-Syo, Ltd.) and melt mixed at 220°C to attain a
homogeneous dissolution. Subsequently, the composition
was extruded in a form of hollow fiber from a spinneret
consisting of a circular orifice with an inner diameter
of 0.8 mm and an outer diameter of 1.2 mm at an
extrusion rate of 5.5 m/min, while diheptyl phthalate
(made by Sanken Chem. Co., Ltd.) was fed at 120°C into a
hollow part at a rate of 7 ml/min. The extrudate was
cooled and solidified in a water bath thermo-controlled
at 40°C, and wound up on a hank at a rate of 60 m/min (a
draft ratio of 10.9 times). A cooling rate in the
cooling and solidifying was about 5,000°C /min.
Thereafter, dicyclohexyl phthalate and diheptyl
phthalate were removed by an extraction with n-hexane
(made by Kishida Chem. Co., Ltd., special grade) and
adhered hexane was removed by drying. The resultant
membrane was then thermally treated at 130°C for 1 hour
in an oven to obtain a hollow fiber like microporous
membrane. The membrane was fixed at a constant length
during the thermal treatment to prevent shrinkage. A
maximum pore diameter of the thus obtained microporous
membrane was 38 nm, and observation results of a cross-
sectional structure of the membrane by a scanning
electron microscope showed that a thickness of a coarse
structure layer formed adjacent to an inner surface
side was 7 µm and a ratio of a fine structure layer to
the whole membrane thickness was 75%. Physical
properties of this microporous membrane are shown in
Table 3.
Example 5
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 4 except that
dibutyl phthalate was fed into a hollow part at 7
ml/min. A maximum pore diameter of the thus obtained
microporous membrane was 39 nm, and observation results
of a cross-sectional structure of the membrane by a
scanning electron microscope showed that a thickness of
a coarse structure layer formed adjacent to an inner
surface side was 12 µm and a ratio of a fine structure
layer to the whole membrane thickness was 60%.
Physical properties of this microporous membrane are
shown in Table 3.
Comparative Example 3
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 4 except that air
was fed into a hollow part at 7 ml/min. A maximum pore
diameter of the thus obtained microporous membrane was
37 nm, and observation results of a cross-sectional
structure of the membrane showed that the structure was
homogeneous along a membrane thickness direction, no
coarse structure layer was present and a ratio of a
fine structure layer to the whole membrane thickness
was 100%. Furthermore, a skin layer with a low open
pore ratio had been formed in an inner surface of this
microporous membrane. Physical properties of this
microporous membrane are shown in Table 3.
Example 6
A hollow fiber like microporous membrane was
obtained in accordance with Example 4 except that
triphenyl phosphate was used as a plasticizer and
tri(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate was fed into a hollow part
at 7 ml/min. A maximum pore diameter of the thus
obtained microporous membrane was 40 nm, and
observation results of a cross-sectional structure of
the membrane by a scanning electron microscope showed
that a thickness of a coarse structure layer formed
adjacent to an inner surface side was 9 µm and a ratio
of a fine structure layer to the whole membrane
thickness was 69%. Physical properties of this
microporous membrane are shown in Table 3.
Example 7
A microporous membrane obtained by Example 1
was hydrophilized using a grafting method. A reaction
i liquid was prepared by dissolving hydroxypropyl
acrylate and poly(ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) in a
25% by vol. of 3-butanol aqueous solution so that
concentrations of the former and the latter chemicals
became 1.1% by vol. and 0.6% by weight, respectively,
and subjected to a nitrogen bubbling for 20 min. while
maintained at 40°C before use. Firstly, said
microporous membrane was irradiated with 100 kGy of
Co60 ?-ray under a nitrogen atmosphere. The irradiated
membrane was left under a reduced pressure not higher
than 13.4 Pa for 15 min, then contacted with the above
described reaction liquid at 40°C and left for further 2
hours. After that, the membrane was washed with
ethanol, vacuum dried at 60°C for 4 hours to get a
hydrophilized microporous membrane. A weight increase
of the resultant membrane was 14%. The thus obtained
membrane was found to show a spontaneous water
penetration into pores when contacted with water. A
filtration test for 3% bovine immunoglobulin solution
using this membrane revealed that a decrease in
filtration rate was little and a clogging of membrane
was also little as shown in Table 4.
Example 8
A hydrophilized microporous membrane was
obtained by the similar method as in Example 7 using
the membrane obtained in Example 2. A weight increase
of the thus obtained membrane was 13%. The resultant
membrane was found to show a spontaneous water
penetration into pores when contacted with water. A
filtration test for 3% bovine immunoglobulin solution
using this membrane revealed that a decrease in
filtration rate was little and a clogging of membrane
was also little as shown in Table 4.
Example 9
A hydrophilized microporous membrane was
obtained by the similar method as in Example 7 using
the membrane obtained in Example 3. A weight increase
of the thus obtained membrane was 12%. The resultant
membrane was found to show a spontaneous water
penetration into pores when contacted with water. A
filtration test for 3% bovine immunoglobulin solution
using this membrane revealed that a decrease in
filtration rate was little and a clogging of membrane
was also little as shown in Table 4.
Comparative Example 4
A hydrophilized microporous membrane was
obtained by the similar method as in Example 7 using
the membrane obtained in Comparative Example 1. A
weight increase of the thus obtained membrane was 10%.
The resultant membrane was found to show a spontaneous
water penetration into pores when contacted with water.
A filtration test for 3% bovine immunoglobulin solution
using this membrane revealed that a decrease in
filtration rate with the passage of time was
remarkable as shown in Table 4. This is considered to be brought about by
the multimers of bovine immunoglobulin which clogged
pores in an inner surface side of the microporous
membrane.
Industrial Applicability
The microporous membrane of the present
invention has a suitable pore diameter, a coarse
structure layer with a higher open pore ratio and a
homogeneous fine structure layer with a lower open pore
ratio, and thus can provide a separation membrane which
has a viral removal performance as well as a permeation
performance, both well-balanced in a practical level,
in a filtration of a solution of a drug or raw
materials thereof, physiologically active substances,
which has a risk of viral contamination.
We claim :
1. A method of viral removal from a liquid containing physiologically active
substance, comprising use of a multilayer microporous membrane
(1) containing a thermoplastic resin,
(2) comprising a coarse structure layer with a higher open pore ratio
and a fine structure layer with a tower open pore ratio, wherein
said coarse structure layer is present at least in one membrane
surface and has a thickness not less than 5.0 µm and a gradient
structure in which an open pore ratio thereof is continuously
decreasing from a membrane surface toward said fine structure
layer, said fine structure layer has a thickness of not less than 50%
of the whole membrane thickness and a microporous and
homogeneous structure in which variation range of an open pore
ratio is ±2.0%, and said coarse structure layer and said fine
structure layer are formed in one-piece, and
(3) having a maximum pore diameter of 10-100 nm determined by a
bubble point method.
2. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coarse structure layer is a
layer having an open pore ratio not less than the average open pore ratio
of the whole membrane thickness + 2.0% and said fine layer is a layer
having an open pore ratio less than the average open pore ratio on the
whole membrane thickness +2.0% and in the range of (an average value
of an open pore ratio of a layer having an open pore ratio less than the
average open pore ratio of the whole membrane thickness +2.0%) ±
2.0% (inclusive of both limits).
3. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein an average pore diameter
of a membrane surface of said coarse structure layer is not less than two
times of the maximum pore diameter determined by the bubble point
method.
4. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any of claims 1-3, wherein said coarse structure
layer is present only in one side of the membrane surface.
5. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the maximum
pore diameter determined by the bubble point method is 10-70 ran.
6. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 5, wherein the maximum pore diameter
determined by the bubble point method is 10-50 nm.
7. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any one of claims 1-6, wherein said membrane is
hydrophilic.
8. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 7, wherein a membrane surface and an
inner surface of micropore thereof are hydrophilized.
9. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, wherein said
thermoplastic resin is a polyvinylidene fluoride resin.
10.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any one of claims 1-9, wherein said membrane is
a hollow fiber.
11.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in any one of claims 4, wherein said the multilayer
microporous membrane is manufactured by the method comprising the
following steps (a) - (c):
(a) the step of forming a membrane by heating a composition
comprising a thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer at a
temperature not lower than crystal melting point of said
thermoplastic resin to homogeneously dissolve them and
then extruding said composition from a discharge opening;
(b) the step of forming a coarse structure layer and fine
structure layer by contacting said membrane with a non-
volatile liquid which has a partial solubility for said
thermoplastic resin, to one surface of said membrane
under a heated state at a temperature not lower than
100°C and cooling the other surface of said membrane,
while said membrane is taken up at such a draw rate that
a draft ratio defined below becomes not less than 1 and
not higher than 12;
Draft ratio = (draw rate of membrane)/(discharge rate of
composition at discharge opening); and
© the step of removing substantial portion of said plasticizer
and said non-volatile liquid.
12. A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 11, wherein said composition comprising a
thermoplastic resin and a plasticizer has a thermally induced type of solid-
liquid phase separation point.
13.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein said thermoplastic resin
is a polyvinylidene fluoride resin.
14.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in damn 13, wherein said plasticizer is at least one
selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl phthalate, triphenyl
phosphate, diphenylcresyl phosphate, diphenylcresyl phosphate and
trycresyl phosphate.
15.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in claim 14, wherein said non-volatile liquid is at
least one selected from the group consisting of phthalate esters, adipate
esters and sebacate esters whose ester chains have a carbon chain length
not longer than 7, and phosphate esters and citrate esters whose ester
chains have a carbon chain length not longer than 8.
16.A method of viral removal comprising use of the multilayer microporous
membrane as claimed in one of claims 1-15, wherein said physiologically
active substance is protein.
A multilayer microporous membrane containing
a thermoplastic resin, comprising a coarse structure
layer with a higher open pore ratio and a fine
structure layer with a lower open pore ratio, wherein
said coarse structure layer is present at least in one
membrane surface having a thickness of not less than
5.0 µm, a thickness of said fine structure layer is not
less than 50% of the whole membrane thickness, and said
coarse structure layer and said fine structure layer
are formed in one-piece.

Documents:

103-kolnp-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-assignment.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-claims.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-examination report.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 2.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 26.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-form 6.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-gpa.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-letter patent.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-specification.pdf

103-kolnp-2004-granted-translated copy of priority document.pdf


Patent Number 214982
Indian Patent Application Number 00103/KOLNP/2004
PG Journal Number 08/2008
Publication Date 22-Feb-2008
Grant Date 20-Feb-2008
Date of Filing 28-Jan-2004
Name of Patentee ASAHI KASEI PHARMA CORPORATION
Applicant Address 9-1 KANDA MITOSHIRO-CHO, CHIYODA-KU, TOKYO, 101 8481
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 NAGOYA FUJIHARU 4-76-6-105, NAKAJIMACHO, MINAMI-KU, YOKOHAMA-SHI, KANAGAWA
2 KOGUMA ICHIRO 75-1-207, SACHIGAOKA, ASAHI-KU, YOKOHAMJA-SHI, KANAGAWA
PCT International Classification Number B 01 D 67/00
PCT International Application Number PCT/JP02/07818
PCT International Filing date 2002-07-31
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2001-234035 2001-08-01 Japan