Inorganic Membrane Technology and Classification

摘要

Inorganic membrane science and technology is a promising area of membrane separation technology that has been dominated by polymer membranes. The inorganic membrane has seen remarkable progress and invention in recent years. Alumina, titanium, zirconia, different oxides, ceramic, carbon, silica, and zeolite are examples of inorganic materials that can be used to make membranes, as well as metals like palladium, silver, and their alloys. Based on their structure, inorganic membranes can be divided into two main groups: porous inorganic membranes and dense (non-porous) inorganic membranes. Amorphous and crystalline membranes both are types of micro porous inorganic membranes. They have two different structural types: Symmetric and asymmetric. By smearing a colloidal solution is known as sol onto a porous support, it is possible to create micro porous inorganic membranes. The sol might be made up of polymeric macro molecules or dense, spherical particles (colloids of oxides like Al2O3, SiO2, or ZrO2 ). Although inorganic membranes are more expensive than organic polymeric membranes, they have the advantages of being sterilizable, having a well-defined stable pore structure, and being resistant to solvents.