PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TITANIUM OXIDE NANOCOMPOSITE MEMBRANES

A.TABBICHE^*1, L.AOUINTI¹

¹Université des Sciences et de la Technologie, Faculté de Chimie, Département de Génie des Matériaux, USTO –MB, BP. 1505 Bir El Djir, 31000 Oran, Algeria.

^*Corresponding author. Tel:00213790150787 ; E-mail: Affaf.tabbiche@univ-usto.dz

ABSTRACT

The design and preparation of hybrid membranes with matrix based on PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) have been studied for the separation of toluene-n-heptane mixtures by pervaporation. PVC was chosen as the starting organic matrix because it is an inexpensive polymer with a very high selectivity for aromatics. In order to improve that performance of pure PVC films, i.e with high selectivity and very low flux, nanocomposite membranes have been prepared by incorporating different percentages of TiO₂ (Titanium Dioxyde) introduced as selective absorbent fillers for toluene. The transport properties of these membranes have been characterized by measurements of swelling rate and pervaporation of binary mixtures.

References

[1] L. Aouinti, D. Roizard, M. Belbachir, PVC–activated carbon based matrices: A promising combination for pervaporation membranes useful for aromatic–alkane separations, J. Separation and Purification Technology 147 (2015) 51–61.

[2] L.Aouinti and D.Roizard, Pervaporation of Toluene-n-Heptane Mixtures with

Hybrid PVC Membranes Containing Inorganic Particles, Journal of Earth Science and Engineering 5 (2015) 473-481.