PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND SURFACE PROPERTIES OF INORGANIC MEMBRANES

PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL AND SURFACE PROPERTIES OF INORGANIC MEMBRANES 

The preparation and fabrication methods and their conditions described in Chapter 3 dictate the general characteristics of the membranes produced which, in turn, affect their performance as separators or reactors. Physical, chemical and surface properties of inorganic membranes will be described in detail without going into discussions on specific applications which will be treated in later chapters. Therefore, much of this chapter is devoted to characterization techniques and the general characteristics data that they generate. 

Macroscopic features such as the shapes of membrane elements, modules and systems and general application characteristics will be covered in Chapter 5. Good understanding of the basic membrane characteristics should provide the much needed background and guidelines for design and operation of the membrane systems. 

---

Some details of the microstructures and physical, chemical and surface properties of inorganic membranes (particularly the porous ones) have been described in Cluster 4. In this chapter, those properties related to membrane performance during and between applications and general features of commercial membrane elements, modules and systems will be discussed along with application characteristics and design and operating considerations. 

---