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SiO2-TiO2 membranes by the sol-gel process

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Silicon Chemistry

Abstract

The use of membranes for gas separation represents an important alternative from the viewpoint of energy conservation in industrial separation processes. Polymeric Si-Ti sols prepared from titanium isopropoxide (Ti(OPri)4) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) were used to deposit membranes on α-Al2O3 supports. Acetylacetone (2,4 pentanedione, acacH) and isoeugenol (2-methoxy-4-propenylphenol, isoH) were employed separately to chelate the Ti precursor in order to slow down the chemical reactivity, avoiding precipitation. The radial distribution functions (RDF) of the gels aging at room temperature were obtained. The xerogels were studied by Thermal Gravimetric (TGA) and Differential Thermal (DTA) Analysis in air. The Microporosity of the solids calcined at 773 K was determined by N2-adsorption at 77 K. The membrane thickness was determined from SEM photographs. Preliminary permeance results of the supported membranes on commercial alumina support were obtained for He, N2 and CO2 in a single gas equipment. At 773 K the separation factors α(He/CO2) and α(N2/CO2) for both membranes exceeds the theoretical Knudsen limit.

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Abbreviations

endo:

endothermal

exo:

exothermal

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Depto. de Química, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, A.P. 55-534, México, D.F., 09340, México

    J. Méndez-Vivar

  2. Facultad de Estudios Superiores Zaragoza, Carrera de Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México, D.F., 09230, México

    R. Mendoza-Serna

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  1. J. Méndez-Vivar
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  2. R. Mendoza-Serna
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Correspondence to R. Mendoza-Serna.

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Méndez-Vivar, J., Mendoza-Serna, R. SiO2-TiO2 membranes by the sol-gel process. Silicon Chem 3, 59–64 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11201-005-9002-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11201-005-9002-3

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