Utilizing Nanoporous Alumina Membranes for Molecular Transport and Silica Nanotube Synthesis

Date of Graduation

Summer 2007

Degree

Master of Arts in Communication

Department

Communication

Committee Chair

Erich Steinle

Abstract

Alumina-based nanomembranes with pores of ̃200 nanometers in diameter were modified with a variety of different substituted silanes. The transport of ions through these treated membranes was studied using several analytical tools such as ultraviolet-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. The surface characteristics of the membrane were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM). Infrared spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of silane coupling with the alumina membrane. Silanes with variable functional groups, either hydrophobic (isobutyl trimethoxysilane, IBTMS) or hydrophilic (aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, AMPTMS and aldehydtrimethoxysilane, ALDTMS), were examined. Preliminary data demonstrate that the alumina membranes treated with IBTMS and ALDTMS allow low transport compared to blank (untreated) membrane. The addition of a surfactant (dodecylbenzenesulfonate) slightly improves the transport as compared to untreated membranes. The presence of vacuum did not influence the transport rate and a spin coating silanization technique was found to be effective. Microscopy data confirm that the template synthesis of silica nanotubes using a sol-gel technique produces silica nanotubes.

Keywords

alumina nanomembranes, silanization, membrane modification, sol-gel, nanotube

Subject Categories

Communication

Copyright

© Ravikanth Kona

Citation-only

Dissertation/Thesis

Share

COinS