Effects of particle size on microstructure and mechanical strength of a fly ash based ceramic membrane

Recycling fly ash for ceramic membrane fabrication not only reduces solid waste discharge, but also decreases the membrane cost. Now, fly ash is becoming a promising substitute material for ceramic membrane preparation. A significant difference between fly ashes from different plants is the particle size, which makes performances of fly ash membranes unpredictable. The novelty of this work is to clarify the effects of the particle size of fly ash on ceramic membranes, thereby giving practical suggestions on fly ash selection for ceramic membrane preparation. Ceramic membranes were fabricated with different sizes of fly ashes. Effects of particle size on porosity, pore size, microstructure, mechanical strength and gas permeability of the membrane were investigated. Results indicate that a broader particle size distribution of fly ash leads to a denser structure of membrane with a lower porosity. Pore size and gas permeability of membrane increase while bending strength decreases with the particle size increasing. Bending strength of a fly ash membrane is largely determined by large particles in the fly ash because the large particles lead to cracks in the membrane. This work provides experimental bases for developing high performance ceramic membranes from fly ash.