Sulfonated polyphenylene oxide-based artificial lung membrane with prominent selectivity of CO2

The primary issues impeding oxygenation efficacy in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are low CO 2 /O 2 selectivity and insufficient permeability of CO 2 . Herein, sulfonated polyphenylene oxide (SPPO) was chosen as a candidate for the oxygenation membrane material. The CO 2 -affinitive sulfonic acid groups on the molecular chain of SPPO enhance the interaction between CO 2 and the SPPO membrane; thereby, the CO 2 /O 2 selectivity is effectively enhanced. When the solid content of the casting solution is 23 %, the SPPO membrane achieves a CO 2 /O 2 selectivity of 17.0, almost as selective as human alveoli. The blood clotting time, red blood cell adhesion, platelet adhesion, and hemolysis ratio were employed to evaluate the blood compatibility of SPPO materials. The results demonstrated that the manufactured SPPO membranes exhibited good hemocompatibility. This work offers novel thinking for researching and applying effective artificial lung membranes.