Abstract
Perfluorocarbon liquids present an absolute barrier to airborne particles while allowing the passage of oxygen. These characteristics suggest the use of perfluorocarbon liquids as liquid barrier filters for respiratory protection devices. This application would require sufficient transfer of oxygen at acceptable downstream concentrations. Oxygen transfer rates across barriers of several perfluorocarbon liquids have been determined by measurement over a range of concentration gradients at realistic operating temperatures. These transfer rates were used with a mathematical model of transfer to determine the transfer rate at acceptable downstream concentrations. The transfer rate at a downstream oxygen concentration of 17% was then used to determine the necessary surface areas for respirator application. The results indicated the required surface areas are much larger than surface areas of fibrous filters used in respirators.