Instability mechanisms of supported liquid membranes

Supported liquid membranes (SLMs) have the ability to selectively separate low concentrations of metal and other ions from solution, and are therefore suited to waste treatment and process recycling operations. However, their application has been limited by their low flux and limited life. The extraction of copper across a supported liquid membrane using Acorga P5100 as the carrier was investigated. The effect of membrane liquid composition, and in particular its rheology on membrane stability and mass transfer, is discussed and modeled. Membrane instability mechanisms are discussed with reference to the proposed model and its effect in relation to the design of membrane units.