Manufacture of tubular ceramic membrane supports using gelcasting

Abstract

Ceramic membrane porous supports were manufactured using α-Al₂O₃ via gelcasting where acrylic acid was used as a base monomer. X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption isotherms (BET, Longmuir and BJH method), mercury porosimetry and SEM were used to identify the characteristics and morphologies of the supports. The characteristics of the membrane were analysed in terms of the effect of particle size and sintering temperature on porosity, pore size and microstructure. The porosity and pore size decreased as the sintering temperature increased. With increasing particle diameter, pore size and porosity increased. Broad non-Gaussian pore distribution in the ceramic matrix was turned into a narrow Gaussian distribution when the particle size was reduced. It showed that finer particles result in a very smooth outer surface of the support system. The porous support was further characterised in terms of permeability of water at specified condition where an experimental set-up was developed to perform the permeability studies.

Keywords:

• GELCASTING
• MEMBRANE
• POROSITY
• AL2O3
• SINTERING