THE EFFECTS OF SiC CONCENTRATION ON MEMBRANE THICKNESS PREPARED BY CHEMICAL SUSPENSION TECHNIQUE

Abstract

Ceramic membrane filtrations are increasingly important as they exhibit tremendous improvement in their capabilities as filtration systems compared to polymeric based systems. Having excellent mechanical properties, chemical and thermal stability, ceramics can resist hostile temperatures as well as harsh solvent environment. The objective of this research is to investigate the effects of the SiC concentration on the thickness of the membrane prepared by the chemical suspension technique. Six SiC concentrations were prepared for the membrane development i.e. 1.5g, 2.5g, 3g, 4g, 5g, and 6g. The SiC in the form of whiskers were suspended in chemical solution and then circulated inside the alumina tube using a special coating assembly for membrane formation and deposition. The porous structure of the alumina support and the SiC membranes were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to determine the microstructure and membrane thickness.