Functional membranes for flow buffering

Synthesis of functional membranes applicable to the buffering of pH in flow systems is described. The membranes are interpenetrating polymer networks of 2,3-epoxypropyl methacrylate and ethylene dimethacrylate in a preformed porous polymeric polypropene substrate. The pendant reactive epoxy groups in the membranes are converted into several functional groups with different pKa values. The functionalized membranes are able to continuously adjust the pH of both acidic and alkaline flowing streams to a value close to the pH of the regenerant buffer.