Ceramic membranes production using quartzite waste for treatment of domestic wastewater

In this work, flat ceramic membranes were prepared using ball clay, quartzite waste, and corn starch as porogenic agent. The raw materials were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The compositions were characterized by the following techniques: X-ray diffraction and heating microscopy. The membranes were produced using the uniaxial pressing process and sintered at different temperatures (900, 1000 and 1100°C). Subsequently, they were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), linear shrinkage, apparent porosity, mercury porosimetry, flexural strength, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The membrane contents 20 wt.% of corn starch sintered at 1000°C was selected because it has porosity of 35%, pore size of 1.3 µm, flexural strength of 8.6 MPa and permeability of 203 L.h⁻¹.m⁻².bar⁻¹. The microfiltration membrane was tested in the treatment of domestic laundry wastewater and showed good decreasing (>91%) of turbidity and clarification of the wastewater.