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Semipermeable membrane

Semipermeable membrane

Overview

A semipermeable membrane, also termed a selectively-permeable membrane, a partially-permeable membrane or a differentially-permeable membrane, is a membrane that will allow certain molecule
Molecule
A molecule is defined as an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by very strong chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from polyatomic ions in this strict sense...

s or ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule where the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge...

s to pass through it by diffusion
Diffusion
Molecular diffusion, often called simply diffusion, is a net transport of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration by random molecular motion. The result of diffusion is a gradual mixing of material...

 and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Facilitated diffusion is a process of diffusion, a form of passive transport facilitated by transport proteins. Facilitated diffusion is the spontaneous passage of molecules or ions across a biological membrane passing through specific transmembrane transport proteins...

." The rate of passage depends on the pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...

, concentration
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance. This can apply to any sort of chemical mixture, but most frequently the concept is limited to homogeneous solutions, where it refers to the amount of solute in the solvent.To...

, and temperature
Temperature
In physics, temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold; something that feels hotter generally has the higher temperature. Temperature is one of the principal parameters of thermodynamics...

 of the molecules or solutes on either side, as well as the permeability of the membrane to each solute.
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Encyclopedia

A semipermeable membrane, also termed a selectively-permeable membrane, a partially-permeable membrane or a differentially-permeable membrane, is a membrane that will allow certain molecule
Molecule
A molecule is defined as an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by very strong chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from polyatomic ions in this strict sense...

s or ion
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule where the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge...

s to pass through it by diffusion
Diffusion
Molecular diffusion, often called simply diffusion, is a net transport of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration by random molecular motion. The result of diffusion is a gradual mixing of material...

 and occasionally specialized "facilitated diffusion
Facilitated diffusion
Facilitated diffusion is a process of diffusion, a form of passive transport facilitated by transport proteins. Facilitated diffusion is the spontaneous passage of molecules or ions across a biological membrane passing through specific transmembrane transport proteins...

." The rate of passage depends on the pressure
Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...

, concentration
Concentration
In chemistry, concentration is the measure of how much of a given substance there is mixed with another substance. This can apply to any sort of chemical mixture, but most frequently the concept is limited to homogeneous solutions, where it refers to the amount of solute in the solvent.To...

, and temperature
Temperature
In physics, temperature is a physical property of a system that underlies the common notions of hot and cold; something that feels hotter generally has the higher temperature. Temperature is one of the principal parameters of thermodynamics...

 of the molecules or solutes on either side, as well as the permeability of the membrane to each solute. Depending on the membrane and the solute, permeability may depend on solute size, solubility
Solubility
Solubility is the property of a solid, liquid, or gaseous chemical substance called solute to dissolve in a liquid solvent to form a homogeneous solution. The solubility of a substance strongly depends on the used solvent as well as on temperature and pressure...

, properties, or chemistry. A semi-permeable membrane is the lipid bilayer
Lipid bilayer
A lipid bilayer is a thin membrane made of two layers of lipid molecules. These membranes are flat sheets that form a continuous barrier around cells. The cell membrane of almost all living organisms and many viruses are made of a lipid bilayer, as are the membranes surrounding the cell nucleus and...

, on which is based the plasma membrane that surrounds all biological cell
Cell (biology)
The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building block of life. The Alberts text discusses how the "cellular building blocks" move to shape developing embryos...

s. Many natural and synthetic materials thicker than a membrane are also semipermeable. An example of this is the thin film on the inside of an egg
Egg (biology)
In most birds and reptiles, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum. To enable incubation the egg is usually kept within a favourable temperature range as it nourishes and protects the growing embryo. When the embryo is adequately developed it breaks out of the egg in the...

.

One example of a semipermeable membrane is a phospholipid bilayer, a group of phospholipids (consisting of a phosphate head and two fatty acid
Fatty acid
In chemistry, especially biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid often with a long unbranched aliphatic tail , which is either saturated or unsaturated...

 tails) arranged into a double-layer, with the hydrophilic phosphate heads exposed to the water content outside and within the cell and the hydrophobic tails hidden in the inside. The phospholipid bilayer is the most permeable to small, uncharged solutes. Protein channels float through the phospholipids, and, collectively, this model is known as the fluid mosaic model.

In the process of reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis
Reverse osmosis is similar to the membrane filtration treatment process. However there are key differences between reverse osmosis and filtration...

, thin film composite membrane
Thin film composite membrane
Thin film composite membranes are semipermeable membranes manufactured principally for use in water purification or water desalination systems...

s (TFC or TFM) are used. These are semipermeable membranes manufactured principally for use in water purification
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from raw water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...

 or desalination
Desalination
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other minerals from water. More generally,desalination may also refer to the removal of salts and minerals, as in soil desalination....

 systems. They also have use in chemical applications such as batteries and fuel cells. In essence, a TFC material is a molecular sieve constructed in the form of a film from two or more layered materials.

Membranes used in reverse osmosis are, in general, made out of polyimide
Polyimide
Polyimide is a polymer of imide monomers. The structure of imide is as shown.Thermosetting polyimides are commercially available as uncured resins, stock shapes, thin sheets, laminates and machines parts. Thermoplastic polyimides are very often called pseudothermoplastic. There are two general...

, chosen primarily for its permeability to water and relative impermeability to various dissolved impurities including salt ions and other small molecules that cannot be filtered. Another example of a semipermeable membrane is dialysis tubing
Dialysis tubing
Dialysis Tubing is a type of semi or partially permeable membrane tubing made from regenerated cellulose or cellophane. It is used for diffusion, or more accurately osmosis. It allows the passage of small molecules but not larger ones. It is used in clinical circumstances to ensure a filtered flow...

.

Other types are cellulose ester membrane (CEM), charge mosaic membrane (CMM), bipolar membrane (BPM), anion exchange membrane (AEM) alkali anion exchange membrane
Alkali anion exchange membrane
An alkali anion exchange membrane is a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct anions while being impermeable to gases such as oxygen or hydrogen...

 (AAEM) and proton exchange membrane
Proton exchange membrane
A proton exchange membrane or polymer electrolyte membrane is a semipermeable membrane generally made from ionomers and designed to conduct protons while being impermeable to gases such as oxygen or hydrogen...

 (PEM).

Osmosis is the diffusion of a substance through a selectively permeable membrane.

See also

  • ADME
    ADME
    ADME is an acronym in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, and describes the disposition of a pharmaceutical compound within an organism...

  • Artificial membrane
    Artificial membrane
    Artificial membrane also known as synthetic membrane is a syntheticly created membrane which is usually intended for separation purposes in laboratory or in industry. Synthetic membranes have been successfully used for small and large-scale industrial processes since the middle of twentieth...

  • Barrer
    Barrer
    A Barrer is a non-SI unit of gas permeability used in the contact lens industry. It is a bulk property. It is named after Richard Barrer.-Definition:...

  • Osmosis
    Osmosis
    Osmosis is the diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane. More specifically, it is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of high water potential to an area of low water potential...

  • Reverse osmosis
    Reverse osmosis
    Reverse osmosis is similar to the membrane filtration treatment process. However there are key differences between reverse osmosis and filtration...

  • Diffusion
    Diffusion
    Molecular diffusion, often called simply diffusion, is a net transport of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration by random molecular motion. The result of diffusion is a gradual mixing of material...


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