Ion Specific Polymer Membrane

Abstract

MEMBRANES, the permeability of which is based on complexing, are of interest because of their analogy to biological membranes. In the lipoid theory of permeability it is assumed that the permeating species dissolves in the cell membrane by complexing with it. Apart from their biological significance, synthetic membranes of this kind can be expected to be useful because their selectivity is far greater than that of any modified ion-exchange membrane. An example of a modified ion-exchange membrane, with an increased capacity for iron (III), has recently been described by Kargin¹. His membrane consisted of a copolymer of an electrolyte, acrylic acid, and a complexing agent, the dibutyl ester of vinyl phosphonic acid. However, no uncharged membrane has yet been described the permeability of which is due solely to complexing.