Pervaporation‐Based Separation of Methanol/MTBE Mixtures—A Review

Abstract Separation of Methanol (MeOH) and Methyl‐tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) is one of the most challenging processes in the chemical industry. Membrane based pervaporation is an attractive alternative to separate azeotropic and close‐boiling mixtures like Methanol‐MTBE. Conventional process, such as distillation, on the other hand, although feasible and in use in many industries, is accompanied by high capital and operating costs thereby rendering the separation process complex. Pervaporation (PV) is a viable alternati`ve to azeotropic distillation both from economical and technical viewpoints. As a clean technology, this membrane separation process has provided solutions to several environmental problems. While PV‐based hybrid processes have attracted industrial attention, progresses in PV separation of MeOH/MTBE suggest that this technique can handle a greater share for this particular separation. In this paper, an extensive review on the properties, production, as well as separation processes utilised for methanol/MTBE system is presented. The performance of different PV membranes applied for this separation is highlighted and emphasis on prospective membrane materials for the future is laid.