Microstructure control of tubular micro-channelled supports fabricated by the phase inversion casting method

Thin-film membrane layers coated onto porous supports is widely considered as an efficient way to obtain high-performance oxygen transport membranes with both good permeability and high mechanical strength. However, conventional preparation methods of membrane supports usually result in highly tortuous channels with high mass transfer resistance. Tubular porous MgO and MgO/CGO supports were fabricated with a simple phase inversion casting method. Long finger-like channels were obtained inside the dual-phase supports by adjusting the ceramic loading, polymer concentration and particle surface area, as well as by introducing ethanol inside the casting slurries. Slurries that exhibit lower viscosity in the zero-shear viscosity region resulted in more pronounced channel growth. These supports were used to produce thin supported CGO membranes for possible application in O₂ separation. Similar shrinkage speeds for the different layers during the sintering process are crucial for obtaining dense asymmetric membranes. The shrinkage of the support tube at a high temperature was greatly affected by the polymer/ceramic ratio and compatible shrinkage behaviours of the two layers were realized with polymer/ceramic weight ratios between 0.175 and 0.225.