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, prefetably zirconia, will have a particle size within the range of from about 5 mµ to about 10µ. with the coating having a thickness of up to about 20µ. The support, such as a porous carbon tube, will have a pore volume of about 5-60% and a pore size of about 5 mµ-40µ. Stability is enhanced by firing the membrane at 25°C-1500°C, preferably at about 400°C-600°C.