New diatomaceous earth and kaolinite ceramic membranes for turbidity reduction in water

Membrane technologies have become widespread due to the significant number of tasks it can solve in the treatment of drinking and waste water. Ceramic membranes have a number of advantages over polymeric membranes, but their disadvantage remains high cost. Therefore, the development of low cost ceramic membranes is essential. Low cost ceramic membranes for liquid separation were obtained from natural minerals—kaolinite and diatomaceous earth with additives of borax, soda ash, barium sulphide and manganese dioxide at different sintering temperatures. Thermal analysis with derivative thermogravimetry for all samples characterized processes of ceramic membranes models sintering and differences in curves for samples with different additives. Crystalline phases obtained in different temperature were identified by diffraction analysis. Filtering properties for samples were characterized by turbidity reduction. Dependence of filtering properties on sintering temperature and additives was shown. Additionally, difference of phase transition temperature in multicomponent aluminosilicates systems and separate components, was demonstrated. Prospects for the use of synthesized ceramic membranes for the removal of suspented particles have been shown.