Water Treatment Using Inorganic Membrane

Abstract

Sol-gel process was used for preparation of γ-alumina complex membranes. Alumina sols were synthesized by interfacial technique with aluminum iso-propoxide, water and acids as peptization agents. Different types of acids were chosen to produce sols of different mean particle size. Under the same condition the effect of these acids in producing particles in increasing size order was HCl, HNO₃, formic acid and acetic acid. The particle size decreased as H⁺/Al₂O₃ mole ratio increased in the 0.037–0.150 range. The membrane was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and water treatment test on laboratory pilot tester. The bacteria rejection was found over 99%.

Keywords:

• Water treatment
• inorganic membrane
• sol-gel
• filtration