• Membrane Journal
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 1998

Pervaporation separation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and methanol (MeOH) mixture, of which the former compound is well known as the octane booster was carried out. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes crosslinked with poly(acrylic acid) which have been successfully applied on the water-alcohol mixtures were used in this study. The PVA/PAA ratio in the crosslinked membranes was 95/5, 90/10, 85/15, 80/20, and 75/25 by weight. The operating temperatures were 30, 40, and 50$\circ$C, and the compositions of MTBE and MeOH to be separated were 95/5, 90/10, and 80/20 (MTBE/MeOH) solutions. PVA/PAA=85/15 membrane showed the separation factor $\alpha_{MeOH/MTBE}$=4000 and the permeation rate of 10.1 g/m$^2$hr for MTBE/MeOH=80/20 solution at 50$\circ$. When the same membrane was used, the separation factor and permeation rate for MTBE/MeOH=90/10 solution at 40$\circ$C were $\alpha_{MeOH/MTBE}$=6000 and 8.5 g/m$^2$hr, respectively. Also, the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance of the membranes would take an important role in the relationships between the membranes and separation performances in terms of the flux and the separation factor.