Waste-to-resource preparation of a porous ceramic membrane support featuring elongated mullite whiskers with enhanced porosity and permeance

Different from traditional particle packing structure, a porous structure of ceramic membrane support was fabricated, featuring elongated mullitewhiskers with enhanced porosity, permeance and sufficient mechanical strength. The effect of additives (MoO3and AlF3) and sintering procedureon open porosity, mechanical properties, pore size distribution, micro-structure, phase structure, and permeance of the membrane supports wascharacterized in detail. The introduction of MoO3and AlF3promoted formation of a porous whisker-interlocked structure, which effectivelyimproved open porosity and permeance. A mullite membrane support containing 5 wt.% MoO3and 4 wt.% AlF3exhibited an open porosity ashigh as 48.6 ± 0.5%, a mechanical strength of 81.2 ± 3.2 MPa at 1200◦C, and the value of permeance was higher than the membrane without anyadditives. Such enhancements in porosity and permeance, with sufficient mechanical strength, were a result of tortuosity decrease due to a porousstructure of interlocked mullite whiskers.© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.