Polymer and Separations (PolySep) Research Laboratory

Last update:

09/04/2006

Hiroyoshi Ohya   M.S. University of California, Los Angeles, 1999 Present Position: Deputy General Manager New Business Development Department Microza & Water Processing Division Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Research Interests

Membrane separations technology

M.S. Thesis

Preparation and evaluation of pervaporation membranes for methanol-MTBE separation.

Abstract of the dissertation

PVA Grafted Silica Pervaporation Membrane

A method of making PVA grafted silica membrane was developed by hydrolyzing PVAc grafted silica membrane whereby hydrophilic and hydrophobic type ceramic supported polymeric membranes were obtained.  The membranes were characterized by pervaporation of MTBE / methanol mixtures and hydraulic permeability measurements.  The PVA membrane was hydrophilic while the PVAc membrane was hydrophobic as revealed by hydraulic permeability measurements.  However, both the PVAc and PVA grafted silica membranes showed similar permeation characteristics for MTBE and methanol. The PVAc grafted silica membrane showed marginal MTBE selectivity at low MTBE concentration. In contrast, the PVA grafted silica membrane had no selectivity for MTBE. The pervaporation studies of separating MTBE / methanol suggest that practical pervaporation separation with the PVAc and PVA modified membrane could be feasible by reducing the pore size through increase of the polymer graft density.

Publications & Presentations

Cohen, Y., W. Yoshida, Jeng-Dung Jou, Hiroyoshi Ohya, Nianjiong Bei "Ceramic-supported Polymer (Csp) Membranes for Pervaporation Separation of Organic/aqueous and Organic/organic Mixtures", International Conference on Membranes (ICOM), June 12-18, 1999, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Address

phone: Japan (81)- (0)3-3507-2343
Fax: Japan (81)-(0)3-3508-1474

Email: ohya.hb@om.asahi-kasei.co.jp