Poly(styrene-co-butadiene)/Maghnia-Organo-Montmorillonite Clay Nanocomposite. Preparation, Properties and Application as Membrane in the Separation of Methanol/Toluene Azeotropic Mixture by Pervaporation.

In order to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of poly(styrene-co-butadiene) (SBR) to use it as a pervaporation membrane in the separation of the azeotropic mixture toluene/methanol, poly(styrene-co-butadiene) crosslinked Maghnia-organo-montmonrillonite (CSBR/OMMT), a nanocomposite of different compositions was first prepared by a solvent casting method. SBR was crosslinked in situ in the presence of OMMT nanoparticles by an efficient vulcanization technique using sulfur as a crosslinking agent and zinc diethyldithiocarbamate as a catalyst. The structure and morphology of the hybrid materials obtained were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscope analysis.

Pervaporative separation of water-ethanol mixtures using an Algerian Na montmorillonite nanoclay-incorporated poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposite membrane.

This work aims to study the role of bentonite, Na montmorillonite (NaMMT), as a filler to design a new poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-based membrane for the pervaporation of an azeotropic water/ethanol mixture to enhance its separation efficiency. PVA/NaMMT nanocomposite membranes, containing different ratios of NaMMT (, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%), were prepared using the solvent casting method and crosslinked with maleic acid. The interactions between the PVA polymer and MMT were determined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Use of inverse gas chromatography to account for the pervaporation performance in monitoring the oxidation of primary alcohols.

The oxidation of n-propanol and n-butanol to their corresponding aldehydes was monitored by the pervaporation technique. Mass transfer phenomenon that occurs in the pervaporation process was confirmed by the results of inverse gas chromatography. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a hydrophobic polymer widely employed as a membrane in pervaporation technique, was evaluated as a stationary phase in this study.