Preparation of low thermal expansion coefficient porous ceramic support for thermostable mordenite membrane

highlights
• Low thermal expansion coefficient porous ceramic support was made from mordenite.
• The secondary building unites of mordenite were kept in porous ceramic supports.
• The secondary building unites lead the membrane to grow from the supports.
• The membrane and support become an organic whole.
• The MOR membrane has preferable thermostability.

Low thermal expansion coefficient porous ceramic support (PCS) with secondary building units (SBUs) of mordenite for thermostable mordenite membrane was successfully prepared from mordenite powder by cold isotatic pressing-calcination technique. The sintered temperature of 1120 K and the calcination holding time of 1 h were used to keep the SBUs which could direct the mordenite crystals in the membrane to grow from the surface of PCS and make the mordenite membrane and PCS to be an organic whole. The as-synthesized mordenite membrane, combined to the PCS by strong chemical bonds, had been proven to have a good integrity and thermal stability, which contributes to the application in the high temperature environment.