Improving hemocompatibility and antifouling performance of polyethersulfone membrane by in situ incorporation of phosphorylcholine polymers

Schematic representation of phospholipid-modified polyethersulfone membrane surface resist non-specific adhesion. [Display omitted] •The phospholipid biomimetic PES membranes are prepared by simple in-situ blending under mild conditions.•The biomimetic membranes possess excellent anti-protein adhesion and anticoagulation properties.•The complement activation and biofilm formation are efficiently inhibited on the membrane surface. Hemodialysis (HD) is one of the most important treatments for patients suffering from kidney failure, and polyethersulfone (PES) is the most common type of hemodialysis membrane. However, owing to insufficient biocompatibility and lending to the dilemma of its coagulation and bleeding risk in clinical applications, it limited the service life of hemodialyzer and seriously affected the dialysis safety of patients. In this paper, phospholipid biomimetic PES membranes were prepared by in situ blending between the hydrophilic polymer (PMAPC) rich in amino groups and the chloromethyl functional polyethersulfone (CMPES), which made up for the shortcomings of the hydrophilic additives that were easy to elate. Characterization and evaluation showed that the modified PES membrane had excellent hydrophilicity and stability. Furthermore, it could also effectively inhibit platelet adhesion activation and fibrinogen adsorption denaturation, suppress complement activation, and prolong coagulation time. The in vitro blood circulation experiment further confirmed the excellent anticoagulant activity of the modified membrane. The modification and preparation methodology described in this paper was simple and practical under mild reaction conditions, low cost, and easy to industrialize. This research lays the foundation for potential applications of phospholipid-mimicking PES membranes in hemodialysis.