Cellulose Triacetate/Zinc Oxide Membrane for Bioethanol Recovery via Pervaporation †

In this study, cellulose triacetate (CTA) hybrid membrane is successfully prepared via the phase-inversion method for bioethanol recovery through pervaporation. Nano zinc oxide (ZnO) particles are mixed into the polymer matrices of CTA to enhance the pervaporation membrane’s performance. The fabricated hybrid membrane is characterized using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to reveal the surface morphology and thermal resistance, respectively. The pervaporation performance of the hybrid membrane is assessed for recovering bioethanol from its dilute solution. Pervaporation results show that the hybrid membrane prepared with 3 wt.% ZnO achieved a permeation flux of 1065.71 g/m²h, while the separation factor was around 1038 at 50 °C operating temperature.