PEBA/PS blend pervaporation membranes: preparation, characterization and performance investigation

In the present study, novel polymeric blend membranes containing polyether block amide (PEBA) and polystyrene (PS) were prepared by solution casting method and used in pervaporative recovery of ethyl acetate (EA) from aqueous solution. The morphology, chemical structure, hydrophobicity, and thermal stability of the prepared membranes were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, contact angle test, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Furthermore, the effect of polystyrene content on the performance of the prepared membranes in recovery of EA from water was also investigated. The results showed that by increase in PS content the EA permeation flux, total permeation flux, separation factor, and pervaporation separation index (PSI) were noticeably increased. The highest total flux and separation factor of this study obtained using the PEBA/PS blend membrane containing PEBA/PS mass ratio of 70/30 were 465 g/m(2)h and 147, respectively.