Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 21 No 2 (2017): 391 - 405

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17576/mjas-2017-2102-14

 

 

 

A FABRICATION OF A LOW–COST ZEOLITE BASED CERAMIC MEMBRANE VIA PHASE INVERSION AND SINTERING TECHNIQUE

 

(Fabrikasi Membran Seramik Kos Rendah Berasaskan Zeolit Melalui Kaedah Penyongsangan Fasa dan Sinteran)

 

Mohd Ridhwan Adam¹, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman¹*, Mohd Hafiz Puteh², Mohammad Arif Budiman Pauzan¹, Mukhlis A Rahman¹, Juhana Jaafar¹

 

¹Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering

²Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 UTM, Skudai, Johor, Malaysia.

 

*Corresponding author: hafiz@petroleum.utm.my

 

 

Received: 26 August 2016; Accepted: 8 January 2017

 

 

Abstract

The usage of ceramic membranes is gaining enormous attention due to their higher selectivity, permeation rate, and chemical and thermal stability as compared to the polymeric membrane. Owing to the fact of these superior properties, the search of a low-cost ceramic membrane is still in demand. To date, the fabrication of ceramic membrane using natural zeolite as the membrane ceramic loading has yet to be explored. Thus, this study aims to develop natural zeolite (Clinoptilolite) as the ceramic source in the fabrication of low-cost hollow fibre ceramic membrane (HFCM) via phase inversion and sintering techniques. Several fabrication parameters were also studied namely air gap distance, bore fluid flow rate and sintering temperature throughout this research. The best ceramic membrane was fabricated using 5 cm air – gap distance, 13 mL min^-1 of bore fluid flow rate and 1000 °C of sintering temperature. The acceptable strength and morphological behaviour of finger-like and sponge-like voids were found to be an advantageous characteristic of the fabricated membrane. The cheap and yet abundant raw ceramic material as well as low sintering temperature are eventually reduced the cost of membrane production.

 

Keywords:  natural zeolite, ceramic membrane, phase inversion, sintering

 

Abstrak

Penggunaan membran seramik semakin mendapat perhatian ramai berasaskan sifat pemilihan yang tinggi, kadar keserapan, dan daya ketahanan yang tinggi terhadap suhu dan bahan kimia berbanding dengan membran polimer. Berdasarkan fakta tentang sifat-sifat yang hebat ini, maka pencarian terhadap membran seramik kos rendah masih lagi menjadi permintaan. Sehingga kini, fabrikasi membran seramik menggunakan zeolit semulajadi sebagai bahan seramik masih belum dikaji. Justeru itu, kajian ini memfokuskan kepada pembangunan zeolit semulajadi (Clinoptilolite) sebagai bahan sumber seramik dalam fabrikasi membran seramik gentian berongga (HFCM) berkos rendah melalui kaedah penyongsangan fasa dan sinteran. Beberapa parameter fabrikasi telah dikaji iaitu jarak ruang udara, kadar aliran cecair penebuk dan suhu sinteran. Membran seramik terbaik telah diperoleh menggunakan jarak ruang udara sebanyak 5 cm, kadar aliran cecair penebuk iaitu 13 mL min^-1 dan 1000 °C bagi suhu sinteran. Nilai kekuatan dan sifat morfologi yang memuaskan bagi stuktur span dan jejari dikenal pasti menjadi ciri - ciri kelebihan bagi membran yang difabrikasi. Harga yang murah dan sumber asli bahan seramik yang banyak serta suhu sinteran yang rendah justeru mengurangkan kos penghasilan membran ini.

 

Kata kunci:  zeolit semulajadi, membran seramik, penyongsangan fasa, sinteran

 

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