Edidiong Okon
Robert Gordon University
U.K
Title: Evaluation and characterisation of composite mesoporous membrane for lactic acid and ethanol esterification
Biography
Biography: Edidiong Okon
Abstract
This paper presents the characterisation and evaluation of a silica membrane with 15nm pore size. The silica membrane was coated once for the permeation analysis. Helium (He), nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were used for the permeation tests conducted at the feed pressure of 0.10 – 1.00 bar and at the temperature of 413 K. The gas flow rate showed an increase with respect to feed pressure indicating Knudsen flow as the dominant mechanism. The order of the gas flow rate with respect to the feed pressure drop was Ar > CO2 > He > N2. The SEM/EDXA result of the membrane showed a defect-free surface. The surface area and pore size distribution of the silica membrane was analysed using liquid nitrogen adsorption. The results obtained from the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) isotherm of the 1st and 2nd dip-coated membranes were 1.497 and 0.253 m2/g whereas the Barrette-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) curves of the membranes were 4.184 and 4.180nm respectively, corresponding to a mesoporous structure in the range of 2-50nm. The BET isotherms of the silica membranes showed a type IV isotherm with hysteresis indicating a mesoporous layer. The BJH curve of the 2nd membrane showed a 4% reduction in pore diameter after the modification process.
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