Indian Journal of Advances in Chemical Science Volume: 6, Issue 1: , January 2018

ISSN No.: 2320-0898 (Print); 2320-0928 (Electronic)

DOI: 10.22607/IJACS.2018.601009

Research Article

Blend membranes of anionic sodium alginate and cationic gelatin incorporated with H-mordenite zeolite were prepared by solution casting and solvent evaporation method for the dehydration of isopropanol solvent. The blend membrane containing 30% wt. of zeolite exhibited the highest separation selectivity of 1240 at a substantial flux of 0.64 kg/m2 h for azeotropic feed composition at ambient temperature (30°C). The mixed matrix membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy to assess their intermolecular interactions, crystalline nature, thermal stability, and surface morphology, respectively. Extent of zeolite loading and effect of feed composition on the pervaporation performance of the membranes were evaluated. Experimental results showed that both flux and selectivity increased simultaneously with increasing zeolite content in the membrane. These observations were explained on the basis of enhancement of hydrophilicity, selective adsorption and molecular sieving action by the creation of selective openings in the blend matrix through zeolite incorporation.

Key words: Pervaporation, Sodium alginate-gelatin blend membrane, Isopropanol-water azeotrope,
H-mordenite zeolite, Mixed matrix materials.

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