Highly permeable and mechanically robust silicon carbide hollow fiber membranes

Silicon carbide (SiC) membranes have shown large potential for applications in water treatment. Being able to make these membranes in a hollow fiber geometry allows for higher surface-to-volume ratios. In this study, we present a thermal treatment procedure that is tuned to produce porous silicon carbide hollow fiber membranes with sufficient mechanical strength. Thermal treatments up to 1500 degrees C in either nitrogen or argon resulted in relatively strong fibers, that were still contaminated with residual carbon from the polymer binder. After treatment at a higher temperature of 1790 degrees C, the mechanical strength had decreased as a result of carbon removal, but after treatments at even higher temperature of 2075 degrees C the SiC-particles sinter together, resulting in fibers with mechanical strengths of 30-40 MPa and exceptionally high water permeabilities of 50,000 L m(-2) h(-1) bar(-1). Combined with the unique chemical and thermal resistance of silicon carbide, these properties make the fibers suitable microfiltration membranes or as a membrane support for application under demanding conditions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.