Methanol Pervaporation Using Cellulose Acetate/Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone Membrane and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate

Abstract

Pervaporation membrane is one of alternative methods to purify methanol. Performance of the pervaporation is affected by its characteristics. Phase inversion technique was used for preparing the membrane. The membrane was prepared by mixing polymeric solution of cellulose acetate (CA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as template in acetone solution. Composition of CA was 17% w/v and composition of SDS were varied 0; 0.5; 1; 1.5; dan 2% w/v. The solution was stirred by ultrasonic for 10 and 20 hours and it was casted on the glass plate surface and then submerged it into water of 60 oC. The membrane was coated by polyvinyl pyrrolidon. The performance of pervaporation was evaluated through permeation flux and separation factor and then was calculated for its pervaporation separation index (PSI) value. In this research, permeation flux and separation factor were contradicted results, but PSI was proportional to the separation factor. High permeation flux and separation factor are desired in the performance of pervaporation. The results showed that methanol concentration from pervaporation product by CA membrane with SDS 2% b/v in 20 hours stirring by ultrasonic was 79% from feed solution of 60%. Therefore, this membrane is applicable for methanol pervaporation, but it still needs some improvements.