Selective Oxygen Permeation Through Metalloporphyrin Polymer Membranes

Abstract

Molecular oxygen coordinates to modified metalloporphyrin complexes selectively, rapidly and reversibly. Flexible membranes are prepared by combining these metalloporphyrin complexes with polymers. The complex residues maintain their oxygen-coordinating capability even after the fixation in the solid state membrane. Oxygen permeation through the membrane is facilitated due to the reversible and rapid oxygen-coordination to the fixed complexes and is in accordance with a dual-mode transport model. The (oxygen/nitrogen) permselectivity is greater than 10 in the membrane composed of cobaltporphyrin complexes with enhanced kinetic parameters.