Vol.:(0123456789) Polymer Bulletin https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-019-02932-7 1 3 ORIGINAL PAPER The synthesis of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) and the preparation of its membranes as matrix in the immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B (Cal‑B) Khusna Widhyahrini 1,2  · Nurrahmi Handayani 3  · Deana Wahyuningrum 4  · Cynthia Linaya Radiman 5 Received: 17 January 2019 / Revised: 10 July 2019 / Accepted: 23 August 2019 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract The immobilization of lipases is often used in biotechnology to improve the perfor- mance, reusability, and stability of the enzyme. Candida antarctica lipase B (Cal-B) has been used as a catalyst in trans-esterifcation reaction. To improve the utilization of Cal-B, therefore the immobilization of Cal-B onto a polymer matrix became cru- cial. In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) and sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) membranes were used as matrices of Cal-B immobilization. SPES was previously synthesized by modifying PES using chlorosulfonic acid (ClSO 3 H) to improve the immobilization of Cal-B. SPES-PSf (polysulfone) blended membranes were also successfully prepared by blending SPES, PSf, and PEG in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) as the solvent using phase-inversion method. The attenuated total refectance (ATR)–FTIR spectrum showed characteristic peaks of the immobilized Cal-B on the matrix at peak 3184.03 cm −1 (–N–H bonds) and 1683.49 cm −1 (–CH deforma- tion bonds). The Raman spectroscopy of the PES-based membranes before and after sulfonation reaction showed the deviations from the symmetrical structure of PES, with specifc Raman shifts at 784.11 cm −1 , 1150.95 cm −1 , and 1588.9 cm −1 . Cal-B was successfully immobilized and loaded onto SPES membrane. By Lowry assay, it was detected that 140.3 μg/cm 2 enzyme was successfully loaded into the 17.3 cm 2 of membrane. The value was one and a half times higher than PES (91.0 μg/cm 2 in 17.3 cm 2 ). However, the hydrolytic activity of Cal-B immobilized onto SPES mem- brane (17.0 p-NP/min/cm 2 ) was fve times lower than Cal-B immobilized onto PES membrane (80.4 p-NP/min/cm 2 ). Keywords Synthesis · Polyethersulfone (PES) · Sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) · Candida antarctica lipase B (Cal-B) · Immobilization * Khusna Widhyahrini khusna@iainsalatiga.ac.id Extended author information available on the last page of the article