Effect of Nano NaX Zeolites on Pervaporation Dehydration of Alcohols

Nano NaX zeolites were synthesized by hydrothermal technique using microwave heating and used as theinorganic filler in multilayer mixed matrix membranes (MMMMs). The MMMMs which contain polyvinyl alcohol(PVA) as the selective top layer and polyethersolfune (PES) ultrafitration membrane as the support layer were preparedby phase inversion method and employed for dehydration of different alcohols via pervaporation membrane process.Citric acid (CA) was also used as the cross-linking agent of PVA layer. The prepared NaX zeolite nanoparticles werecharacterized by SEM and XRD analysis. The results showed that addition of 2 %wt. zeolite nanoparticles improved boththe permeation flux and water selectivity of the membrane for dehydration of ethanol/water mixtures. Furthermore,permeation experiments of different alcohol/water mixtures revealed that the total flux for methanol, ethanol andisopropanol solutions has decreasing trend while the water selectivity has the increasing trend.

Keywords:

Nano NaX zeolite , Multilayer mixed matrix membranes , Pervaporation , Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)