Preparation and Performance Evaluation of Mesoporous γ-AluminaMembrane for Nanofiltration Applications

Nanofiltration is a pressure-driven membrane process designed for the selective separation of solvents fromsolvent-solute mixtures within a molecular weight range of ۲۰۰ to ۱۰۰۰ Da. This study presents the synthesis andevaluation of mesoporous γ-alumina membranes prepared using the sol-gel method on titania supports. A boehmitecolloidal sol was prepared by dissolving aluminum isopropoxide in isopropanol, using hydrochloric acid as a peptizingagent and PEG as a binder. The stable sol, with an average particle size of ۵۰۰ nm, was applied to the titania substratevia dip-coating, followed by calcination at ۶۰۰°C, forming a membrane layer of approximately ۱۰ μm thickness. N₂adsorption-desorption isotherms verified the mesoporous characteristics with an average pore size of ۳۵ nm. SEManalysis showed a uniform, crack-free membrane surface. The pure water flux increased linearly with TMP from ۳ to ۹bar, while permeance remained constant at ۱۰.۸ L/m²·h·bar, indicating good stability. These results demonstrate thatthe γ-alumina membrane is suitable for nanofiltration, particularly in water treatment, effectively rejecting dissolvedions and small organic molecules.

کلیدواژه ها:

ceramic membrane ، sol-gel ، γ-alumina ، nanofiltration