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The kidneys play a critical part in maintaining internal equilibrium of the body. However,
renal diseases present a significant public health concern, affecting millions of individuals
worldwide. Polyethersulfone (PES) based hemodialysis membranes can provide a lifesustaining treatment procedure for patients suffering from renal disease. Nevertheless, the
intrinsic hydrophobic nature of PES contributes to an inefficiency of uremic toxin
clearance and a compromised hemocompatibility. This work evaluates the individual and
combined effects of two water-soluble hydrophilic additives, polyethylene glycol (PEG)
and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), on the functionality of polyethersulfone (PES)
membranes. The membranes were synthesized by the non-solvent phase inversion method
by using NMP as the solvent. The fabricated membranes were characterized by using
Scanning Electron Microscopy, ATR-FTIR, tensile testing, porosity, and contact angle
analysis. The SEM images demonstrated the successful fabrication of the membranes. Each
membrane possessed a thin skin layer and an asymmetric porous framework. As a result of
the synergistic effect, the membrane with dual WSP—2.5% PVP and 2.5% PEG—
performed better than membranes with a single water-soluble hydrophilic additive. The
membranes comprising the two additives had excellent hydrophilicity, increased porosity,
and a high-water retention capacity. Moreover, they showed a urea clearance of 77.3%, a
pure water flux of 96 L/m²/h, and an outstanding BSA rejection of 99.10%. RSM modelling
was employed to determine the urea clearance that verified the ideal conditions for urea
removal were concentrations of 1200 mg/L and 0.6 MPa. The effectiveness of membrane
containing dual WSP for hemodialysis was further demonstrated by hemocompatibility
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tests, which provided promising results (APTT 32s, PT 14s, plasma recalcification time
205.5s, and hemolysis rate 1.32%).