Preparation of SrCe0.95Yb0.05O3–α hollow fibre membranes: Study on sintering processes

In this study, sintering processes, as one of the critical steps in ceramic processing responsible for final shape and characteristics of products, have been investigated using hollow fibre precursors prepared from a mixed proton/hole conducting material of SrCe0.95Yb0.05O3–α (SCYb). The hollow fibre precursors were spun via a phase inversion method using a polyethersulfone (PESf)/N-methyl-2-pyrrollidone (NMP) solution system, which is often used in making polymeric membranes. In order to understand influences of the sintering process on the hollow fibre membranes, some sintering parameters such as sintering temperature, heating rate and sintering time have been investigated. The shrinkage and weight loss of the hollow fibres during the sintering processes have been measured at different calcination temperatures and the surface morphology of resulting hollow fibres has been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).