Abstract
The process of ethanol dehydration via pervaporation was performed using alginate membranes filled with manganese dioxide and a mixed filler consisting of manganese dioxide on magnetite core MnO2@Fe3O4 particles. The crystallization of manganese dioxide on magnetite nanoparticle surface resulted in a better dispersibility of this mixed filler in polymer matrix, with the preservation of the magnetic properties of magnetite. The prepared membranes were characterized by contact angle, degree of swelling and SEM microscopy measurements and correlated with their effectiveness in the pervaporative dehydration of ethanol. The results show a strong relation between filler properties and separation efficiency. The membranes filled with the mixed filler outperformed the membranes containing only neat oxide, exhibiting both higher flux and separation factor. The performance changed depending on filler content; thus, the presence of optimum filler loading was observed for the studied membranes. The best results were obtained for the alginate membrane filled with 7 wt.% of mixed filler MnO2@Fe3O4 particles. For this membrane, the separation factor and flux equalled to 483 and 1.22 kg·m−2·h−1, respectively.
Highlights
The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the synthesized MnO2 and MnO2 @Fe3 O4 mixed filler particles, pristine membrane and two type composite membranes loaded with MnO2 and mixed
Alginate composite membranes filled with MnO2 and mixed MnO2 @Fe3 O4 particles were successfully applied in pervaporative dehydration of ethanol
The significant difference between these two fillers consisted in the stronger magnetic properties of the latter, borne by the magnetite core of the mixed MnO2 @Fe3 O4 filler that accelerated the diffusion of water molecules in the membrane
Summary
It cannot be used to produce completely dry ethanol and this drawback is associated with the formation of water–ethanol azeotrope. For this reason, alternative methods of ethanol formation have recently been explored, including gas stripping, flash fermentation, vacuum fermentation, liquid-liquid extraction and pervaporation (PV). Alternative methods of ethanol formation have recently been explored, including gas stripping, flash fermentation, vacuum fermentation, liquid-liquid extraction and pervaporation (PV) The latter process, PV, is interesting, mainly because of its simple operation, as well as its lower energy consumption and higher separation efficiency than distillation [3]
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