Tetraphenylporphine zinc(II) (ZnTPP) was found to be adsorbed from its CH2Cl2 solution into a Nafion (Nf) film. The characteristics of the adsorption of ZnTPP into the Nf film were studied using a visible absorption spectroscopic technique. The initial rate (v(0), mol cm(-2) s(-1)) for uptake of ZnTPP was saturated with increasing ZnTPP concentration (c(0), M) in the solution. This kinetic profile was analyzed in terms of a Michaelis-Menten model considering preequilibrium of ZnTPP adsorption between the solution and the outer layer of the Nf film, followed by diffusion to an inner bulk region, giving a maximum diffusion reflux of v(max) = (2.2 +/- 0.2) x 10(-13) mol cm(-2) s(-1). This is different from the kinetics for the Nf/phthalocyanine zinc(II) (ZnPc) film, which gives a linear plot of v(0) vs c(0). This can be explained by the relatively slow diffusion of ZnTPP in the film compared to that of ZnPc because of steric factors: ZnTPP contains bulky tetraphenyl moieties attached perpendicular to a porphyrin ring, whereas ZnPc has higher planarity. The isotherm for the adsorption of ZnTPP into the Nf film was analyzed using a Langmuir isotherm equation, yielding an equilibrium constant of (3.6 +/- 1.1) x 10(6) M-1 and a saturated amount of adsorbed ZnTPP of (1.8 +/- 0.1) x 10(-9) mol cm(-2), suggesting monolayer adsorption of ZnTPP on the hydrophobic polymer network interfacial with hydrophilic transport channels without significant intermolecular overlap. This is in contrast to the multilayer adsorption mode suggested for the ZnPc adsorption. The tetraphenyl moieties could prevent the stacking of ZnTPP for multilayer adsorption.