• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: The absorption of carbon dioxide by thin films containing an ion exchange polymer
  • Contributor: Wolfe, Ralph G.; Miller, Irving F.; Gregor, Harry P.
  • Published: Wiley, 1970
  • Published in: Journal of Biomedical Materials Research, 4 (1970) 3, Seite 295-312
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1002/jbm.820040304
  • ISSN: 0021-9304; 1097-4636
  • Keywords: Biomedical Engineering ; Biomaterials
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>A thin polymeric film, containing a basic polyelectrolyte, was developed with properties that potentially make it highly suitable for use in a membrane blood oxygenator. Its CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> absorption capacity was correlated as a function of the CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> partial pressure, temperature and relative humidity of the processed gas. The correlation showed a linear dependence with CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> partial pressure and relative humidity and an Arrhenius dependence with temperature. A four‐step mechanism for the absorption process was postulated and its parameters were evalutaed. The apparent diffusion constant for CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> was five times that measured for an ion‐exchange resin made from the polyelectrolyte. The capacity and mechanism correlations obtained are suitable for the design of a CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> removal unit for a recirculated air atmosphere as well as for a blood oxygenator. The permeability of the film to CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> and O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> was measured and the ratio was found to be far greater than that of most commercial materials. This suggests that a blood oxygenator utilizing such a film would have the controlling resistance to transfer on the oxygen side, rather than on the blood side, thus perhaps avoiding bubbling on the blood side altogether.</jats:p>