Morteza Asghari - Research Laboratory for Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, Iran
Afshin Pak - Research Laboratory for Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, Iran
Reza Fareghi Alamdari - Research Laboratory for Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, Iran
Farima Agand - Research Laboratory for Separation Processes, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Iran University of Science and Technology, Narmak, Tehran, Iran

Ceramic membranes specially zeolite membranes are usually used for organics separation by pervaporation. In this research, effect of calcination temperature on flux of kaolin modules that prepared by extrusion as a support of zeolite membranes was investigated. By increasing the kaolin calcination temperature, the flux of membrane increases due to many pores created in the module. This was confirmed by SEM micrographs. The highest flux was about 18 kg/m2.h for modules calcined at 1200 oC with distillated water. Increasing calcination temperature causes module strength to enhance. It was found that the module calcined at 1200 oC may be suitable as a support for zeolite A membranes.

Zeolite membrane support; Mullite; Calcination temperature; Metakaolin; Kaolin; Flux