CONCENTRATION OF BIOETHANOL AND DEHYDRATION OF ORGANIC SOLVENTS BY POROUS MEMBRANES

In order to obtain higher membrane performance in the concentration of bioethanol and dehydration of organic solvents, hydrophobic porous poly[1-(trimethylsilyl)-1-propyne] (PTMSP) and hydrophilic porous chitosan membranes, respectively are applied to a temperature-difference-controlled evapomeation (TDEV) method in which a temperature difference between the feed solution and the membrane surroundings is established, to selectively concentrate ethanol from aqueous ethanol solutions and dehydrate water in aqueous dimethyl sulfoxide solutions. Pressure treated porous PTMSP membranes showed a high ethanol concentration performance with a high permeation rate and porous chitosan membranes also showed a high dehydration performance in TDEV. Membrane performances through these porous membranes in TDEV are discussed from the viewpoints of chemical and physical structure of membranes and physicochemical property of permeants.