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Stochastic Reconstruction and Permeation of Ceramic Membranes Prepared by the Sol-Gel Method

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2011

E. S. Kikkinides
Affiliation:
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, P.O. Box 361, GR 570 01, Thermi, Thessaloniki, GREECE.
V. T. Zaspalis
Affiliation:
Chemical Process Engineering Research Institute, Centre for Research and Technology Hellas, P.O. Box 361, GR 570 01, Thermi, Thessaloniki, GREECE.
V. N. Burganos
Affiliation:
Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes – Foundation for Research and Technology, Hellas, P.O. Box 1414, GR 265 00, Patras, GREECE.
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Abstract

In the present work we study the relation between structural and permeation properties of ceramic membranes made by the sol-gel process. For this purpose, we have developed γ-Al2O3 mesoporous membranes via the sol-gel route, on top of multi-layer asymmetric α-Al2O3 macroporous supports, to induce mechanical stability. Subsequently, we employ stochastic techniques to generate three-dimensional reconstructions of the membrane and the support that share the basic structural properties of the original materials determined directly from SEM and TEM studies. The permeability of each material is estimated by solving numerically the momentum equation in the void space of the reconstructed images. The very good agreement between predicted and experimentally measured permeability values, without the need to resort to any fitting parameter, renders the proposed reconstruction methodology quite promising for reliable characterization and representation of the pore structure of this type of membranes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2003

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References

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