desired viscosity and flow rate characteristics 2 a series of pores with pore sizes of 0 04 micron in diameter and larger 3 surfaces of the membrane being functionalized by carboxylic acid s and 4 the respective substituent group of the carboxylic acid s being chosen to create a hydrophilic surface e g cysteic acid malonic acid one preferred manifestation of the present invention involves carboxylic acid as the hydrophilic agent associated with the ceramic in some applications the carboxylic acid has the general formula rco 2 h where r is a hydrophilic functional group exemplary carboxylic acids include without limitation cysteic acid 3 5 diiodotyrosine trans fumaric acid malonic acid octanoic acid stearic acid 3 5 dihydroxybenzoic acid parahydroxy benzoic acid and combinations thereof of these cysteic acid is currently thought to be optimal contact angle measurements for a range of carboxylic acids functionalized onto alumina coated silicon wafers were investigated to determine the functionalization that results in the most hydrophilic surfaces using a modification of the literature method c t vogelson a keys c l edwards and a r barron molecular coupling layers formed by reactions of epoxy resins with self assembled carboxylate monolayers grown on the native oxide of aluminum j mater chem 13 2003 291 296 silicon wafers were coated with a thin layer of alumina 100 nm via e beam deposition in order to remove impurities on the alumina surface the coated wafers were dipped in a 1 1 solution of conc h 2 so 4 and 30 h 2 o 2 for 5 min the wafer was then washed with 2 propanol and.