The International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE)
Abstract
The study is aimed to synthesis chitosan membrane and modification of membrane by additing natural nanozeolite Sarulla by varying the composition of nanozeolite toward the membrane performance. The membrane obtained is determined Flux and selectivity on the separation of ethanol-water mixture by pervaporation. The chitosan used has a degree of deacetylation of 84.7% and Natural Nanozeolite Sarulla (@ZAS) used has a @ZAS aktivated at 400oC for 4 hours and data XRD data showed that the zeolite which usd to resemble modernit. The result of SEM showed that the membrane surface is relatively smooth, homogeneous and fine pores evenly dispersed, while the Ch-@NNS membrane surface looks uneven, heterogeneous and rough surface due the zeolite dispersed. These results are supported by IR data which showed the occurrence of mixing physical and chemical interactions between chitosan and @ZAS. The performance (flux and selectivity) of membrane (flux and selectivity) generally increases with the addition of @ZAS composition to the chitosan matrix. The optimum composition membran obtained addition of 0.30 g @ZAS (membrane Ch-@ZAS_4). The laboratoriun scala tests showed that the nano composite membrane chitosan natural zeolite Sarulla, which is synthesized at optimum composition, with the feed etanol at composition of 98% w/w and 65oC, has the highest fermeation flux of water and totality were 0.98 Kg/m2 hour and 1.05 Kg/m2 hour resvectively, while the highest selectivity was 1168. This study has also able to increase the concentration of ethanol to 99.22% (w/w). Keywords: Pervaporation, ethanol-water, nanocomposite membrane, chitosan, natural zeolite Sarulla.
