Permeability of heterogeneous membranes based on methacrylic acid

The permeability of H⁺, Na⁺, insulin, and hemoglobin through porous membranes made of crosslinked poly(methacrylic acid) was investigated at different pH values on both sides of the membrane. It was shown that a change in the charge of the protein during its transport through the membrane might raise the driving force of the process so much that the permeability coefficient of the protein through the membrane would be higher than in solution. In the case reported here, the flow of the protein may be regarded as partial electrophoresis in a porous medium.