Properties and filtration performance of microporous metal membranes fabricated by rolling process

Abstract

We evaluated the filtration performance of microporous metal membranes fabricated by the rolling process. Metal wire meshes were rolled with thickness reduction ratios of 10, 20, and 30%. The pore size of the metal wire mesh membrane decreased with increasing rolling ratio, whereas the removal efficiency of the suspended solids and turbidity showed a very slight increase compared to that of an unrolled mesh membrane. The metal powder was dispersed on the surface of the rolled metal wire mesh membrane and bound with polyvinyl alcohol, then dried at 100 degrees C for 1 h, and finally sintered at 1,000 degrees C for 3 h. The mean pore size, suspended solids, and turbidity of the metal powder membrane at a rolling ratio of 30% were approximately 0.7 mu m, 84% and 83%, respectively. Therefore, microporous metal membranes successfully fabricated by the rolling process were also sufficiently permeable filters.