Patent ID: 7717273

Claim:
A method of modifying at least a portion of the surface of a porous membrane with a surface modifying polymeric composition such that the membrane does not require prewetting with an organic solvent prior to filtration of a solution, the method comprising: a) contacting the porous membrane with a surface modifying composition comprising: 1) polymers selected from the group consisting of polyethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol divinyl ether, polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, benzyl glycidyl ether, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether, triethyleneglycol divinyl ether, polysiloxanes, polyoxazoline, polystyrenics, and combinations thereof, wherein the polymers are present in the surface modifying polymeric composition in a concentration of about 3 to about 30% vol/vol; 2) a cationic polymerization initiator; and 3) a solvent; b) placing the membrane in a moisture barrier container to protect the membrane from moisture in the atmosphere; c) polymerizing the polymers of 1) on the surface of the membrane thereby modifying at least a portion of the surface of the porous membrane with a polymerized surface modified polymeric composition.