In this paper, single wall nanotubes (SWNT), multiwall nanotubes (MWNT) and dodecyltrichlorosilane modified MWNT were incorporated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for ethanol/water mixtures separation via pervaporation. The pervaporation results showed that separation performance of MWNT/PDMS hybrid membranes were better than that of SWNT/PDMS hybrid membranes. When MWNT/PDMS hybrid membranes were employed to separate 5wt% ethanol aqueous solution at 40?,which showed a separation factor of 10.0 and total flux of 206.2g/(m2�h). A closely packed and hydrophobic layer was presented at the MWNT surface and the surface wetting property was varied from hydrophilic to hydrophobic due to chlorosilane modification, The pervaporation selectivity of MWNT/PDMS membrane could be effectively improved by dodecyltrichlorosilane modification, the modified MWNT/PDMS hybrid membrane showed a separation factor of 11.3 and total flux of 130.9g/(m2�h) for 5wt% ethanol feed concentration at 40?, respectively.Keywords:  Carbon nanotube, PDMS, chlorosilane modification, pervaporation

Pervaporation performance of carbon nanotube filled PDMS membranes for ethanol-water separation

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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