Oxygen‐binding and transport in the liquid crystal membrane containing cobaltporphyrin as an oxygen carrier

Composite membrane is prepared from (N‐methoxybenzylidene)‐4‐butylaniline as a liquid crystalline phase, poly(methyl‐methacrylate) as a support, and α,α,α,α‐tetrakis(o‐pivalamidophenyl)‐porphinatocobalt(II) (CoP) as an oxygen carrier. Phase separation and transitions for the liquid crystal containing CoP in the composite membrane are confirmed by SEM and DSC. Kinetic and equilibrium constants of oxygen‐binding to CoP moiety fixed in the liquid crystal phase are spectroscopically determined in situ, and are discontinuously changed at the phase transition temperatures. Oxygen transport in the composite membrane is facilitated, because CoP moiety effectively acts as a fixed carrier for the oxygen transport.