| Abstract Scope |
Ceramic membranes with high chemical stability and controlled porosity are of considerable interest for water purification; however, their production involves expensive synthetic raw materials, including high-purity alumina, zirconium dioxide, or cordierite powder. This research explores an alternative, sustainable approach to preparing asymmetric cordierite-based ceramic membranes using local natural minerals, namely Djebel Debbagh kaolin, biogenic silica from rice husk ash, and Mg-rich bentonite. Tubular and flat porous supports were prepared by extrusion and dry pressing followed by microfiltration and ultrafiltration layers deposition via slip casting and a sol-gel modified method, respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed that the membranes showed a major content of thermally stable cordierite with a small amount of mullite, while scanning electron microscopy highlighted a homogeneous structure and a well-adhered selective layer with the support. In addition, the membranes demonstrated an interconnected pore structure, high mechanical strength, and a selective layer with an average pore size of 0.45 µm for microfiltration and 0.03 µm for ultrafiltration. The membranes showed high permeability, good chemical stability, and an enhanced ability to retain suspended particles, heavy metals, and microbes. This study provides an innovative example of using local Algerian natural resources and agricultural by-products for producing high-performance ceramic membranes for water filtration with potential for decentralized use. |