Facilitated transport of oxygen was performed through chelate membranes containing cobalt with selective oxygen binding ability as a fixed oxygen carrier. Chelate membranes were obtained from Schiff base membranes after treating a poly(allyl amine) (PAAm) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend with salicylaldehyde. It is confirmed that the O-O stretching peak through a frequency change in FTIR could be seen at 1150 cm(-1) between cobalt in the membrane and incoming oxygen. The permeability of oxygen through Schiff base membranes was 2.01-2.98 X 10(-13) [cm(3) (STP) cm(2)/cm a cmHg] and oxygen permselectivity was in the range of 1.83-3.27. For chelate membranes, both the permeability of oxygen and oxygen selectivity increased to 2.15-2.82 X 10(-12) [cm(3) (STP) cm(2)/cm s cmHg] and around 8, respectively. Permselectivity of chelate increased as a result of facilitation of O-2 and inhibition of N-2 transport. Detailed results and the mechanism of facilitation of oxygen are discussed on the basis of molecular interactions. (C) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.