PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DRY INORGANIC ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANE AND MEMBRANE PRODUCED BY SUCH A METHOD

摘要

A coating is applied to a microporous support in the presence of a volatile liquid capable of drawing the coating into the support and of desolvating the coating. The liquid is thereafter volatilized with the resulting dry ultrafiltration membrane being essentially crack-free and having desirable mechanical and chemical stability. The support may be pretreated with a volatile liquid, such as acetone, prior to the applying of the coating to the support. Alternately, the coating material can be dispersed in a volatile liquid, such as methanol, to form a coating suspension that is applied to the support. The coating material, preferably zirconia, will have a particle size within the range of from about 5 m mu to about 10 mu with the coating having a thickness of up to about 20 mu . The support, such as a porous carbon tube, will have a pore volume of about 5-60% and a pore size of about 5 m mu -40 mu . Stability is enhanced by firing the membrane at 25 DEG C-1500 DEG C, preferably at about 400 DEG C-600 DEG C.