Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
636480 | Journal of Membrane Science | 2010 | 8 Pages |
The supported zeolite membranes prepared in this work have been synthesised under microwave heating in order to reduce synthesis time, to prevent support dissolution, and to reproducibly obtain a thin defect-free zeolite layer. The MFI-type zeolite membranes were synthesised on ceramic capillaries, with a high membrane surface area-to-volume ratio (>1000 m2 m−3), which is by far higher than that of classical tubular supports (≪500 m2 m−3). The selective layer was deposited inside, outside or on both sides of the capillaries. These hydrophobic membranes were characterized and tested in pervaporation for the separation of an EtOH/H2O: 5/95 wt.% mixture. The best results obtained at a pervaporation temperature of 45 °C, in terms of flux (1.5 kg/h m2) and selectivity (αEtOH/H2O=54αEtOH/H2O=54), were achieved with the double-sided membranes.