Effect of carrier concentration on the facilitated oxygen transport in a polymer membrane

Facilitated transport of oxygen in a solid polymer membrane containing cobaltporphyrin (CoP) which carries oxygen specifically and reversibly, leads to permselectivity of oxygen against nitrogen in the membrane. The increase in concentration of the CoP carrier is expected to enhance the oxygen transport. The membranes of poly(octylmethacrylate-co-vinylimidazole) containing 0.8≈10 wt% CoP were prepared, and the effects of the CoP-concentration on the transport and the diffusion constants of oxygen are studied. Although the induction period before the steady state of oxygen permeation was prolonged with the CoP concentration in the polymer membrane, the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the membrane was increased and the diffusion constants of oxygen were decreased with the CoP concentrations to yield unexpected reduction of the oxygen permeation in the highly CoP loaded membrane