Stabilizing Emulsion Liquid Membranes

Abstract

Abstract A novel method of stabilizing emulsions used in liquid membrane extractors is considered. The method is based on modification and control of the rheological properties of the organic membrane phase. Data presented are used to compare the proposed method with traditional emulsion liquid membranes stabilized by surfactants. The proposed technique is shown to have similar rates of extraction with the advantage of easy and reversible stabilization and destabilization of the membrane for recovery of the internal phase and thus has potential advantages. The rheological properties of the stabilized membrane investigated are shown to be affected during the production of the emulsion, possibly due to the production of a fine stable dispersion of the internal phase in the membrane phase. Thus careful design of the mixing vessel is required to increase the stability of the membrane to ensure the membrane material can be reused. † Present address: Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Queensland,...