Artificial pulmonary capillary
AssigneeBattelle Memorial Institute
InventorsBruce F. Monzyk, Eric C. Burckle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a photolytic cell, and to a photolytic artificial lung incorporating such a cell. The photolytic artificial lung converts water to oxygen for blood absorption, regulates pH, the removes carbon dioxide, and co-produces electrical power. The photolytic artificial lung includes a photolytic cell where all of the chemical reactions occur. Additionally, the present invention relates to photolytically sensitive materials for oxygen generation. These materials are useful for gas-free artificial lung and/or pulmonary capillary fabrication. The photolytic cell disclosed herein can also be used to direct chemical reactions in organs other than the lung.
Claims20
An artificial pulmonary capillary for oxygenating blood comprising:
- an inlet for receiving deoxygenated blood and transporting the blood to a photolytic cell;
- the photolytic cell having a transparent window, an anode, a cathode, a catholyte, and a photo-reactive surface, said photo-reactive surface having the ability to convert water in the blood to dissolved oxygen upon light activation, the anode adjacent to the transparent window, the cathode connected to the anode and adjacent to the catholyte;
- a light source for providing light photons to said photolytic cell and activating said photo-reactive surface;
- and
- an outlet for transporting oxygenated blood out of said photolytic cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.