removal of btx compounds from wastewaters using template free mfi zeolitic membrane

mfi zeolite membranes were prepared on porous α-alumina substrates, using secondary growth of nano-seeded layers. the resulting membranes were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (sem), x-ray diffractometry (xrd), and pervaporation performance tests for separation of benzene, toluene and xylene (btx) mixture from contaminated water. the morphology, thickness, homogeneity, crystal preferential orientation and permeation properties of these membranes have been studied in relation to the seed layers. successful separation of btx mixture from water was performed by using the manufactured mfi zeolite membrane. the influence of temperature, feed concentration on the membrane separation efficiency systematically investigated. the total permeation fluxes were found to increase with increase in temperature and feed concentration. the separation factors increased with increasing feed concentration and decreased with increasing in temperature.