PVA-APTEOS/TEOS Hybrid Sol-Gel Pervaporation Membrane for Dehydration of Ethanol

Novel organic-inorganic hybrid membranes were prepared by co-hydrolysis and co-condensation reactions of aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTEOS) and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) aqueous solution. These sol-gel reactions make a silica nanoparticles network which cross-links the structure of membranes. As a result, swelling properties of the membranes change due to these cross-linking reactions. The relative molar content of APTEOS to (APTEOS + TEOS) was changed from 0.0 to 0.75. The effect of APTEOS to (APTEOS + TEOS) on morphology as well as pervaporation performance of the membranes for dehydration of ethanol was investigated. It was found out that the hybrid membranes with a certain mass ratio of 1: 1 (APTEOS + TEOS to PVA) exhibit higher permselectivity and more permeation flux for dehydration of ethanol aqueous mixtures compared with the PVA-TEOS membranes. Because hydrolysis and condensation reactions of mixed silanes make smaller silica nanoparticles, the permeability properties of the membranes improve in comparison with those of the membranes prepared using a single silane. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2010