Creation of defect-free nanoporous ceramics via self-filling of macropores for membrane-separation of organic materials

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02431
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 26020:Inorganic materials and properties-related
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Yoshikazu 筑波大学, 数理物質系, 准教授 (40357281)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 阿部 浩也 大阪大学, 接合科学研究所, 教授 (50346136) ; 鈴木 達 国立研究開発法人物質・材料研究機構, 機能性材料研究拠点, グループリーダー (50267407)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 多孔体 / アルミナ / 有機物膜分離 / 限外ろ過 / 阻止率 / フィルター

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The porosity of the Al2O3 support sintered at 1500°C without using a pore-forming agent was 18.8%, and although continuous through-holes remained, it showed mechanical properties slightly closer to that of a dense body, improving its reliability as a base material. This support was used as a substrate for coating by the aerosol deposition (AD) method. MgAl2O4 powder with an average particle size d50 = 0.358 mm was synthesized, and AD film formation was performed at room temperature. A MgAl2O4 layer was deposited with a thickness of approximately 1 μm, and it was confirmed that there were no macro defects on the surface.
The AD-MgAl2O4/Al2O3 laminated film achieved a removal rate of 44%, which can be said to be quite close to a practical level of concentration.

Free Research Field

セラミックス科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1-10 nm程度の分子や超微粒子を対象とするナノろ過膜(NF膜)や10-100 nm程度の高分子・微粒子・ウィルス等を対象とする限外ろ過膜(UF膜)が、国内セラミックスメーカーによって開発されている。しかし、細孔直径1-100 nm程度、特に、2-50 nm程度のメソ孔に相当するサイズの多孔質セラミックスチューブをマクロ欠陥なしに大面積成膜することは非常に困難であった。本研究は、この「メソポーラスギャップ」を克服し、大面積・欠陥フリーナノ多孔質セラミックスを創製することで、高分子やタンパク質分子の高効率膜分離を実証することに成功した。