Mechanical and morphological analysis of polymeric hollow fibers obtained from commercial dialyzers

Abstract

Hemodialysis filter membranes are one of the essential and key components for the removal of uremic toxins in hemodialysis processes, however, there is little information on their mechanical and morphological characteristics that have been reported. The objective of this work is to perform a morphological analysis of membranes based on polymeric hollow fibers obtained from two commercial hemodialysis filters and compare their mechanical performance. The morphological analysis was carried out using an optical and scanning electron microscope and mechanical evaluation by means of tensile tests. The optical results show that the hollow fibers of the dialysis filters are relatively well distributed, which can be seen along the filter in a wavy and curly form. The measurements of the internal diameter of the fibers resulted in values ​​between 160-200 m while for the wall thickness between 30-40 m, which are in accordance with the typical values ​​for this class of fibers. Tensile tests on polymeric capillary fibers showed greater mechanical performance in polyethersulfone fibers compared to polysulfone fibers, which could result in a longer lifespan of filters with this type of polymeric fibers, opening the possibility for a greater number of uses.