Chitosan membranes were prepared by solution casting method. A series of chemically modified chitosan membranes containing carboxymethy1, carboxyethy1, cyanoethy1, amidoxime, sulfony1 and phosphory1 groups has been preapred for separating ethanol-wate...
Chitosan membranes were prepared by solution casting method. A series of chemically modified chitosan membranes containing carboxymethy1, carboxyethy1, cyanoethy1, amidoxime, sulfony1 and phosphory1 groups has been preapred for separating ethanol-water mixtures in pervaporation. Polyelectrolyte complex membranes were prepared from chitosan and poly(acrylic acid) by mixing two polymer solutions and tested pervaporation for the separation of water/ethanol, water/isopropanol and methano/methy1 t-buty1 ether mixtures. Chitosan composite membranes were also prepared for the enhancement of permeation flux and then modified by surface crosslinking and complexation with anionic surfactants. Surface crosslinked chitosan composite membranes showed good pervaporation performance for the separation of aqueous solutions of ethanol, isopropanol and ethylene glycol. The b-chitosan composite membrane was prepared for the pervaporation of water/alcohol mixtures. b-Chitosan composite membrane showed a better pervaporation performance than that of a-chitosan membrane, particularly a better permeation flux. Surfactant complexed chitosan composite membranes also showed good pervaporation performance for the separation of methanol/methy1 t-buty1 mixtures.