Development of polymeric membranes for the separation of water-alcohol mixtures for bioethanol purification in industry

Abstract

The increasing demand for sustainable energy solutions has intensified the focus on bioethanol production as a renewable fuel alternative. However, the energy-intensive distillation process for water-alcohol separation remains a significant challenge in bioethanol purification. This study explores the development and characterization of thin-film composite membranes (TFCMs) for efficient water-alcohol separation, aiming to provide a more energyefficient alternative to traditional methods. The membranes were evaluated under varying conditions of temperature (20°C, 30°C, 40°C, and 50°C) for their performance in separating water from methanol, ethanol, and isopropanol. Results demonstrated that the permeance of water remained dominant at higher temperatures (40°C and 50°C), highlighting the membranes' suitability for selective water removal in bioethanol purification processes. In contrast, alcohols such as methanol and ethanol exhibited higher permeance at lower temperatures (20°C and 30°C), indicating the membranes’ tunable selectivity based on operating conditions. The study further revealed the time-dependent behavior of permeance, with alcohols experiencing a rapid decline in transport efficiency before stabilizing, while water maintained consistent performance over extended periods. This dynamic underscore the membranes' potential for long-term industrial applications with appropriate optimization. Overall, the developed membranes show promise for enhancing the efficiency of wateralcohol separation, contributing to the advancement of energy-efficient bioethanol production technologies. Future research is recommended to explore mixed water-alcohol systems and investigate membrane stability under real-world conditions.