The preparation of meso-porous membranes from Tunisian clay

This study has focused on the development o f porous materials from representative Tunisian clay. The first step was the characterization of the clay through powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis and evaluation of its plasticity. With this data, an extrusion paste was prepared, mixing the clay with 26% water. This paste was extruded in the form of a tube and after a study of its thermal behavior; it was sintered at 850 degrees C for 2 h. The behavior of the prepared membranes was evaluated by measuring their porosity, permeability and mechanical strength mainly. The membranes thus obtained showed an acceptable porosity of about 36%, with a pore diameter of about 30 nm and mechanical strength of 12 MPa. (C) 2019 SECV. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U.