A novel phase transition technique for fabrication of mesopore sized ceramic membranes

A mesopore sized YSZ-SiO2 ceramic hollow fibre membrane has been fabricated using a novel phase transition technique. The N2 or H2 single-gas permeation under relatively high pressure gradients reveals that the YSZ-SiO2 membrane is gas permeable, and the mean pore diameter of the membrane is less than four nanometers. Examination of the microstructure of the membrane shows that the YSZ-SiO2 ceramic is well sintered and is free of packing-pores. By analyzing the phase transition of the SiO2 and the microstructure of the membrane, it is believed that the pores in the membrane for the gas permeation were created by the β → α transition of cristobalite.