Preparation of the modified ceramic nanocomposite supports at low sintering temperature

In this work, a simple and effective way to modify the support surface is developed and a nanostructure ceramic support to facilitate deposition of a defect-free overlying micro and meso (nano) porous membrane is obtained. ceramic membranes supports were prepared by gel-casting mehtod and the surface of membrane supports were coated with dip-coating method. Multidispersed suspensions of _alumina-zirconia and _alumina-zirconia-silica nanopowders were prepared for dip-coating. The obtained XRD and SEM results confirmed the formation of smooth and uniform nanocomposite layer on the outer surface of the non-modified supports with the presence of silica nanopowders at low sintering temperature (650 ºC). However, in the absence of silica nanopowders, this kind of nanocomposite layers did not form on the non-modified supports surface, even at high sintering temperature (750 ºC). Also, XRD pattern showed that tetragonal zirconia phase did not transform to monoclinic phase at low sintering temperature which can be important in the formation of nanocomposite layers with a desirable crystalline structure.