APPARATUS FOR CONFINING A CATALYST BETWEEN TWO FLUID PHASES COMPRISING A MEMBRANE STRUCTURE

摘要

A catalyst such as an enzyme is contained in an asymmetric membrane between two immiscible liquid streams. A catalytic reaction is carried out by introducing a reactant to one stream and removing a product from the other stream. When the catalyst becomes deactivated, the membrane can be recharged with catalyst by displacing the deactivated catalyst and introducing fresh catalyst. The membrane has a skin layer that has pores sufficiently small so as to prevent leakage of the catalyst and a highly porous region that contains the catalyst. Insolubility of the catalyst in the immiscible liquid prevents loss of the catalyst for the highly porous region.