Alcohol Pervaporation Using Polystyrene-SDS Membrane

Abstract

Polystyrene (PS) membrane with SDS as porogen can be utilized as a filter in alcohol pervaporation process. The membrane was prepared using inversed phase method with PS:SDS:dichloromethane solvent composition were 17:0:83; 17:0.5:82.5; 17:1:82; 17:1.5:81.5; and 17:2:81. Homogenization of mixtures were carried out for 10 and 20 hours and casted on glass plate surface then submerged it into water with temperature of 60 °C. Pervaporation capability was evaluated from flux value and separation factor. The average of water flux values in 20 hours sonication were higher than the values in 10 hours sonication. The highest separation factor was observed in PS membrane with 0.5% SDS concentration and homogenization in 20 hours is 5.23. Application of PS membrane in pervaporation as showed by purities of alcohol value using gas chromatography method revealed that the purities increase from 91.6 to 93.4%. Therefore, certain SDS addition can increase the performance of PS membrane in alcohol purification.