Studies on sorption kinetics and sorption isotherm for pervaporative separation of benzene from model pyrolysis gasoline using insitu nano silver/polyvinyl alcohol membrane

Abstract

Pyrolysis gasoline (Py gas) is used as an octane enhancer of gasoline as it is rich in aromatics. However, removal of carcinogenic benzene from Py gas before blending with gasoline is important to meet the fuel specifications. The main focus of this present study is to determine the sorption kinetics and sorption isotherm of a fabricated insitu nano silver/polyvinyl alcohol (insitu nano Ag/PVA) membrane for pervaporative separation of benzene from model Py gas [mixture of benzene (aromatic) and 1-octene (aliphatic)]. The thickness, surface morphological structure (Atomic Force Microscopy) and degree of swelling of the fabricated membrane were determined. The highest pervaporation separation index achieved for the selected system was 14.259 kg/m²/h at 303 K, with 30 volume% benzene in model Py gas using a downstream pressure of 1 mm of Hg. The sorption kinetics of benzene in insitu nano Ag/PVA membrane obeyed the Elovich model while the Temkin isotherm model fitted the experimental data of the chosen system most accurately.

Keywords:

• Pervaporation
• degree of swelling
• Elovich kinetic model
• Temkin isotherm model
• pervaporation separation index

Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the Centre for Research in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in University of Calcutta, India for providing analysis facility.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests that could have appeared in this study.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in [Mendeley Data] at DOI [10.17632/52cbrg9z56.1]

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful to the Department of Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology, Govt. of West Bengal, India [Memo No. 200(Sanc.)/ST/P/S&T/6G-15/2018] and the departmental DRS I program under UGC, SAP, Government of India (Sanction No. F.5-9/2016/DRS-I(SAP-II) for providing financial support.