Preparation of Ceramic Membranes and Their Application in Wastewater and Water Treatment

Abstract

Ceramic membranes have become one of the most rapidly developing and promising membrane materials owing to their excellent properties. Compared with other membrane materials, ceramic membranes are widely used in the wastewater and water treatment fields owing to their advantages, including higher chemical stability, stronger mechanical strength, longer service life, and better water filtration performance. In this paper, the sources of raw materials and their preparation for the production of ceramic membranes are briefly introduced. The methods for preparing ceramic membranes are described in detail, including the role of ceramic membranes in water treatment applications, the preparation methods of the membranes, and the latest progress in this area, along with a review of the applications of ceramic membranes in wastewater and water treatment. Simultaneously, this study also evaluates which preparation method is the most advantageous and the aspects of its advantages. The raw materials used in the ceramic membrane preparation and the types of water treatment suitable for this method were studied. The results showed that the phase-conversion sintering technique has multiple advantages, and the generated asymmetric structure with finger- and sponge-like voids can further improve the flux and separation abilities, which are attractive for scientific researchers. Finally, the development trends in the inorganic ceramic membrane market were surveyed. This work can help beginners understand the preparation procedures employed to produce ceramic membranes for water treatment; compare the porosity, mechanical strength, permeation flux, and chemical and thermal stability of the resulting membranes; and reasonably select the appropriate preparation method for the relevant water treatment type.