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Pervaporation dehydration of water/ethanol/ethyl acetate mixtures using poly(vinyl alcohol)–silica hybrid membranes
Author(s) -
Hu Wen Wei,
Zhang Xiu Hua,
Zhang Qiu Gen,
Liu Qing Lin,
Zhu Ai Mei
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.36962
Subject(s) - pervaporation , membrane , thermogravimetric analysis , vinyl alcohol , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , permeation , chemical engineering , thermal stability , materials science , vinyltriethoxysilane , contact angle , polymer chemistry , ethyl acetate , vinyl acetate , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymer , composite material , silane , copolymer , biochemistry , engineering
The novel organic–inorganic hybrid membranes were prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES). They were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and contact angle metering. The as‐prepared membranes are formed at a molecular scale at a low VTES content. Aggregations in the surface of the as‐prepared membranes were clearly evident above 18.43 wt % VTES loading. The introduction of VTES into the PVA matrix resulted in a decrease in the crystalline and an increase in compactness and thermal stability of the as‐prepared membranes. Silica hybridization reduced the swelling of the as‐prepared membranes in water/ethanol/ethyl acetate mixtures, decreased the permeation flux, and remarkably enhanced water permselectivity in pervaporation dehydration of ethanol/ethyl acetate aqueous solution. The hybrid membrane with 24.04 wt % VTES has the highest separation factor of 1079 and permeation flux of 540 g m −2 h −1 . © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012