Activated ceramic composite materials used for elimination of particles imitating viruses from water
Milena Zalewska, Ewa Bobryk, Anita Pędzikiewicz, Mikołaj Szafran
Quarterly No. 1, 2012 pages 21-25
DOI:
keywords: adsorption, diatomaceous earth, bentonite, filtration of particles imitating viruses, ceramic composite materials
abstract The paper presents the preliminary results of research on the surface modification of ceramic composite materials. This modification can be done by introducing particles of ceramic powders with a high value point of zero charge. The functioning of the new membranes can be described as electrostatic adsorption of particles imitating viruses onto an oppositely charged filter surface. The purpose of this study was to design ceramic composite materials with active layers. The first stage of this study was to shape porous ceramic composite materials by pressing by means of a hydraulic press at the pressure of 30 MPa. In the next stage, a way of obtaining an active layer of the filter and an impregnation method were designed. In the research diatomaceous earth and bentonite were used while polyvinyl alcohol was the binder. The samples prepared during the study were subjected to impregnation with magnesium acetate. In the study, polymer dispersions with negative electrokinetic potential - Rokryl SW 4025 and SW 115 - were used to stimulate the process of filtration. The properties of the sintered samples - tensile strength, open porosity and pore diameter distribution were investigated. The microstructure of the obtained samples was examined using a scanning electron microscope. The zeta potentials of the obtained ceramic composite materials with active layers and polymer dispersions were established using a zeta potential analyzer. On the basis of the measurements and filtration test in which polymer dispersion simulated viruses in water, it was discovered that the modification of ceramic materials surfaces gives good results. In the samples, the particles of polymer dispersions were attracted to the walls of the filter. The permeates after being filtrated through the impregnated samples become transparent. MgO, which was obtained on the surface of the ceramic composite, plays the role of promoter in the process of the adsorption of negatively charged particles imitating viruses.