ABSTRACT
Membrane separation processes have recently attracted considerable attention because they offer an effective separation alternative to traditional energy-intensive separation techniques, such as distillation and cryogenic separation. Of particular interest are inorganic membranes that have advantages over polymeric membranes because of their small pore sizes as well as excellent thermal and chemical stabilities. However, the rigid structure of inorganic membranes does not allow an easy adjustment of the pore sizes unlike polymeric membranes. Fabrication of organic/ inorganic composite membranes by the surface modication of inorganic substrates has addressed this issue, enabling the development of novel membranes for improved performance.
