Ordered collagen membranes: production and characterization.

A collagen membrane with microscopic order is presented. The membranes were produced with acid-soluble collagen, using two different methods to obtain orientation. The product was characterized by mean of UV and IR spectra, scanning electronic microscopy, optical microscopy and laser diffractometry. The results clearly show a high level of order in the membranes obtained by both techniques. Permeability for rifamycin, ascorbic acid and NaCl was also measured. Due to the characteristics of the membranes, they have a potential application for treatment of surface injuries.