Composite Chitosan Membranes for the Separation of Methanol/methyl tert-butyl Ether Mixtures

Composite membranes from chitosan blended with different ratios of chitosan were developed for the pervaporation of methanol/methyl tert-butyl ether mixtures. The composite membranes were characterized for surface morphology and sorption. Surface morphology showed chitosan and PVA were homogenously blend for all chitosan composition. Swelling characteristics of composites membrane were affected by methanol concentration as well as chitosan composition in the blend. Increasing feed temperatures and methanol concentration in the feed in pervaporation increased the flux and decreased the separation factor. The composite membranes containing 20 to 40 wt% chitosan was chosen as the preferred membrane formulation to yield fluxes ranging from 50 to 70 g/m2hr with separation factors ranging from 55 to 80 at optimum operating conditions of 30 wt% methanol in the feed and feed temperature of 50 0C.