Nylon as a Dialysis Membrane

Abstract

Unique permeability characteristics of Nylon film make it a useful membrane for conduct of dialysis studies or separations which are not readily accomplished with semipermeable films more commonly employed for these purposes. The permeability of Nylon to drugs is not that exhibited by a porous membrane, nor that of many nonporous polymeric membranes. Nylon is relatively impermeable to small molecules and ions, such as water, urea, and sodium chloride, but many less polar, higher molecular weight, unionized species, as well as such ionic compounds as cetyl-, dodecyl-, and ethylpyridinium bromides and sodium naphthalene sulfonate, diffuse readily through Nylon films. Unique permeability characteristics of Nylon film make it a useful membrane for conduct of dialysis studies or separations which are not readily accomplished with semipermeable films more commonly employed for these purposes. The permeability of Nylon to drugs is not that exhibited by a porous membrane, nor that of many nonporous polymeric membranes. Nylon is relatively impermeable to small molecules and ions, such as water, urea, and sodium chloride, but many less polar, higher molecular weight, unionized species, as well as such ionic compounds as cetyl-, dodecyl-, and ethylpyridinium bromides and sodium naphthalene sulfonate, diffuse readily through Nylon films.