Microporous laminate

Abstract

Abstract A laminate formed by the solvent casting of a two phase siloxane-polyarylene polyether block copolymer onto a suitable microporous substrate such as a microporous polypropylene film, to produce a gas permeable and blood compatible membrane having sufficient mechanical strength for use in blood oxygenators and gas separation devices. For use in blood oxygenators, implantable biomedical devices, blood sampling, analysis or purification devices and artificial membrane lungs for cancer therapy or lung disease therapy, the two phase block copolymers such as polysufone-polydimethylsiloxane block copolymer preferrably have molecular weights in the ratio 5,000/5,000 M n 's with a 45% volume fraction as polysulfone, or at least 50% volume fraction represented as siloxane. For use in gas separation devices, the molecular weights of the polysulfone-polydimethylsiloxane blocks may be varied from 1,500 to 100,000 or greater M n 's with 10 to 90% by weight siloxane, and from 90 to 10% by weight polysulfone, with a tensile modulus less than 100,000 psi and tensile elongation of at least 100%. The process for producing the laminate consists of a meniscus dip coating technique to apply a uniform coating of the polymer to only one side of the microporous substrate in order to maintain coating thickness and to leave the other side uncoated for ease of heat sealing or potting of the membranes together into envelopes.

Inventors

• 👤 Stephen P. Conover

Bibliographic Details