Desenvolvimento de membranas cerâmicas tubulares a partir de matérias-primas regionais para processo de microfiltração.

Abstract

Membrane separation processes has experienced a great development recently. Ceramic membranes are applied in several processes, mainly in application in which temperatures are above 250 oC, as well in separation of solutions with extremely acid pH and even in systems with organic solvents. The aim of this work is to prepare tubular ceramic membranes by extrusion using two different compositions containing ball clays, kaolin and alumina and to fire in different sintering temperatures to be applied in microfiltration process. It was done the characterization of the ceramic compositions before sintering, particles size, thermogravimetrics analysis, chemicals analysis and X-ray diffraction. The chemicals analysis showed great amount of SiO2 and Al2O3 and the X-ray results showed the presence of kaolinite, quartz and alumina in the both compositions. The results from X-ray diffraction of the ceramic body after sintering showed the presence of mullite, alumina and quartz. The SEM images and the results from mercury porosimetry showed the presence of pores in all sintering temperatures and pore size in the range of microfiltration. The results from pure water flux, at steady state, showed that the membranes prepared with composition 1 and sintering at temperature of 1300 oC presented the highest value. To the membranes prepared with composition 2 and sintering temperature of 1150 oC presented the highest value. The pure water flux value of the membranes prepared with composition 1 was bigger than the membranes prepared with composition 2. In relation to the use of these membranes to water treatment from Epitácio Pessoa Dam, the results showed that the water turbidity decrease from 7.1 NTU to values close to zero for the all studied membranes.