| Abstract: | A novel membrane effective in the separation of ethanol-water mixtures by pervaporation was made by combining zeolite NaA and poly(vinyl chloride) modified by 2-(2′-butoxyethoxy)ethyl thiolate. Under ambient conditions, a separation factor (α ) of 29 and pervaporability (P ) of 4 × 10?4 g m?1 h?1 were obtained for the azeotropic mixture whereas, in the absence of zeolite, the respective values were 7 and 7 × 10?5. A mechanism was proposed relating the preferential water transport at ≈? 50% zeolite content to an interfacial “phase” between the zeolite and the modified polymer. |
