Core-Shell Structured Carbon@Al2O3 Membrane with Enhanced Acid Resistance for Acid Solution Treatment

Abstract

Ceramic membrane has an important application prospect in industrial acid solution treatment. Enhancement of the acid resistance is the key strategy to optimize the membrane treatment effect. This work reports a core–shell structured membrane fabricated on alumina ceramic substrates via a one-step in situ hydrothermal method. The acid resistance of the modified membrane was significantly improved due to the protection provided by a chemically stable carbon layer. After modification, the masses lost by the membrane in the hydrochloric acid solution and the acetic acid solution were sharply reduced by 90.91% and 76.92%, respectively. Kinetic models and isotherm models of adsorption were employed to describe acid adsorption occurring during the membrane process and indicated that the modified membrane exhibited pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir model adsorption. Compared to the pristine membrane, the faster adsorption speed and the lower adsorption capacity were exhibited by the modified membrane, which further had a good performance with treating various kinds of acid solutions. Moreover, the modified membrane could be recycled without obvious flux decay. This modification method provides a facile and efficient strategy for the fabrication of acid-resistant membranes for use in extreme conditions.