doi:10.1016/S0376-7388(02)00049-2
Copyright © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Characteristics of ultrafiltration ceramic membranes derived from alumoxane nanoparticles
Maria M. Cortalezzia, Jerome Roseb, Andrew R. Barronc and Mark R. Wiesner
,
, d
a Energy and Environmental Systems Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS 317, Houston, TX 77005, USA
b Centre Europeen de Recherche et d Enseignement de Geosciences de l Environnement (CEREGE), Europole Mediterraneen de l Arbois, BP 80, 13545 Aix en Provence Cedex 04, France
c Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS 60, Houston, TX 77005, USA
d Energy and Environmental System Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street MS 317, Houston, TX 77005, USA
Received 5 October 2001;
revised 30 January 2002;
accepted 6 February 2002.
Available online 17 March 2002.
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Abstract
Alumoxanes nanoparticles were cast onto α-alumina supports by slip-coating to develop asymmetric ultrafiltration ceramic membranes. Membrane layers as thin as 1 or 2 μm were achieved. The effect of sintering conditions was investigated. Membrane surface morphology was imaged by SEM and AFM. The molecular weight cut off was evaluated for these membranes and compared to pore size data obtained by nitrogen adsorption in an effort to correlate pore size and actual performance of the membrane. Membranes were sintered at temperatures between 600 and 1100 °C. The pore sizes increased with higher sintering temperature, from 7 nm at 600 °C to 10 nm at 1000 °C, followed by a sharp increase due to the transformation to α-alumina at higher firing temperatures. The molecular weight cut off showed no considerable variation up to 1000 °C. These results are in good agreement with equations reported by several authors that correlate molecular weight with size.
Author Keywords: Ceramic membranes; Membrane preparation and structure; Ultrafiltration; Alumoxanes; Nanoparticles
Fig. 1. Cross-section of a supported acetic acid alumoxane-derived membrane (skin layer and support).
Fig. 2. Pore size distribution as a function of sintering temperature.
Fig. 3. SEM images of acetic acid alumoxane-derived membranes (a) fired at 600 °C; (b) fired at 900 °C; (c) fired at 1100 °C.
Fig. 4. AFM images of acetic acid alumoxane-derived membranes (a) fired at 600 °C; (b) fired at 800 °C; (c) fired at 1000 °C; (d) fired at 1100 °C.
Fig. 5. AFM image of an acetic acid alumoxane-derived membrane fired at 1100 °C. Two different surface morphologies are observed.
Fig. 6. Rejection curve of an acetic acid alumoxane-derived membrane fired at 600 °C.
Table 1. Characteristics of acetic acid alumoxane-derived membranes at the studied firing temperatures

Table 2. MWCO of acetic acid alumoxane-derived membranes
