Muhammad Cholid Djunaidi, Amelia Cahyarini, Nesti Dwi Maharani, Gunawan, Heru Susanto, Barlah Rumhayati, Agung Abadi Kiswandono, Sunarno
Hemodialysis is an essential treatment for patients with impaired renal function to remove excess metabolic waste from the bloodstream. Although hollow fiber membranes are the most employed membranes in current dialyzer systems, achieving high selectivity toward specific uremic toxins (urea) remains a significant challenge. In this study, urea-imprinted hollow fiber membranes were developed using polyeugenol synthesized through two catalytic pathways, namely BF3–diethyl ether and H2SO4–CH3COOH. The membranes were further functionalized by incorporating di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) as a carrier to enhance selective transport. Molecularly Imprinted Membranes (MIM) and Non-Imprinted Membranes (NIM) were fabricated via the phase inversion technique using polysulfone as the base polymer and PEGDE as the crosslinker. Characterization by SEM–EDX confirmed the formation of imprinted cavities following urea extraction, while FTIR verified the successful integration of D2EHPA within the membrane matrix. The MIM BF3 D2EHPA membrane exhibited superior mechanical, hydrophilic, and thermal properties compared with other formulations, indicating a synergistic effect between imprinting and carrier functionality. Transport studies demonstrated higher permeability and selectivity toward urea over creatinine and vitamin B12, with optimal performance observed at pH 7.4. These results demonstrate the potential of MIM BF3 D2EHPA as an advanced membrane material for hemodialysis applications. © 2026
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Diponegoro University, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. Soedharto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Science, Brawijaya University, Jl. Malang Veteran, 65145, Indonesia; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Lampung, Bandar, Lampung, Indonesia; Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof. Soedharto SH, Tembalang, Semarang, 50275, Indonesia
