| abstract |
A method for the manufacture of a solid porous separation material based on a polysaccharide, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing an aqueous solution (I) of a polysaccharide, (b) solidifying the solution, preferably by transforming the solution to a gel, and (c) optionally cross-linking the polysaccharide, with the proviso that, if step (c) is present, steps (b) and (c) may be carried out simultaneously. The method is characterised in that the polysaccharide provided in step (a) is modified by being inter-molecularly cross-linked to an extent such that the viscosity of solution (I) is at least 110%, preferably at least 200%, of the viscosity of an aqueous solution (II) of the corresponding polysaccharide which has not been inter-molecularly cross-linked and which is present in the same concentration as the inter-molecularly cross-linked polysaccharide is in solution (I). |