Transmission behavior of pNIPAM microgel particles through porous membranes

Microgels used for biomedical applications have to be purified to remove unreacted monomer, linear polymers and other impurities, some of which could be toxic. Purification is generally carried out by repeated dialysis against fresh water, which is extremely slow, or by ultracentrifugation, which is labor-intensive and expensive. Microfiltration and ultrafiltration are convection-driven, membrane based techniques which offer the potential for …