EFFECTS OF TREATMENTS OF CHITOSAN MEMBRANE ON THE SEPARATION OF ETHANOL-WATER MIXTURE BY PERVAPORATION

Separation of ethanol-water mixture was carried out by the pervaporation technique through chitosan membranes treated in various ways. The permeation rate Q increased in the following order: the membrane dried on a filter paper (DFM) less than the membrane dried on a glass plate (DGM) less than the membrane immersed in water (WM). The separation factor alpha was in the order that DFM greater than DGM greater than WM. In the pervaporation through DFM of 10 mu m thickness at 70 degree C, the products of alpha and Q at 80% and 92% of the ethanol contents in feed were 100 and 51 kg/cm**2h, respectively.