What are the properties of nitrocellulose and PVDF membranes?

PVDF membranes are more durable and resistant to chemicals compared to nitrocellulose membranes, which are brittle and less resistant to solvents. The binding capacity of PDVD membranes are 100 - 200 µg/cm2, while the binding capacity for nitrocellulose membranes are 80 - 100 µg/cm2. PVDF membranes also exhibit superior binding capabilities for high molecular weight proteins and glycoproteins. In contrast, nitrocellulose membranes have a stronger binding capacity for low molecular weight proteins compared to PVDF membranes. Nitrocellulose membranes also require methanol in the transfer buffer, whereas PVDF membranes can be used with methanol-free buffer but need to be pre-wetted with methanol before use. The pore size for both membranes is either 0.1μm,  0.2 μm or 0.45 μm. PVDF membranes are also better suited for stripping and reprobing. Lastly, proteins adhere to nitrocellulose membranes primarily through hydrophobic interactions, whereas they attach to PVDF membranes via a combination of hydrophobic and dipole interactions.