Poly(sulfone-alpha-olefin) composite permselective membrane article for

Abstract

A biocompatable multi-layer article suitable for use in blood oxygenation is disclosed. The article is made up of a microporous polypropylene tube, a perm-selective, water vapor impermeable, carbon dioxide and oxygen permeable, homogeneous layer directly adhered to the polypropylene tube and active heparin linked through a covalent bond to the permselective layer. The polypropylene tube has an inside diameter from 240 to 400 .mu.m, a wall thickness from 10 to 50 .mu.m, and a porosity from 20 to 80 percent. The perm-selective layer is a polysulfone which has the structure ##STR1## where R is an alkyl group having 16 carbon atoms and n is 3,500 to 35,000. A method for producing a biocompatible multi-layer article suitable for use in blood oxygenation is also disclosed. The method involves the steps of immersing a microporous polypropylene tube which has an inside diameter from 240 to 400 .mu.m, a wall thickness from 10 to 50 .mu.m, and a porosity from 20 to 80 percent in a solution of a polysulfone which has the foregoing structure, and heating the coated polypropylene tube to a temperature that is above the softening point but below the decomposition temperature of the sulfone, e.g., in an oven heated to 70.degree.-150.degree. C. A new poly(sulfone-alpha-olefin) is also disclosed. The new poly olefin has the structure of Formula 2, below: ##STR2## where the R' groups can be the same or different, most of them are C6 to C16 alkyls, n is an integer of at least 6, preferably from 3,500 to 35,000, and some of the repeating groups have the structure of Formula 3, below: ##STR3## where R' is a bromoalkyl group having from 1 to 26 carbons, a methyl or ethyl ester of an alkyl carboxylic acid having from 1 to 26 carbons, or an alkyl aldehyde having from 1 to 26 carbons.