Nickel-ceramic microfiltration membranes were prepared by electroless deposition of nickel on the activated ceramic membrane substrates having a nominal pore size of 275 nm. Two different surfactants, namely sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), were studied for their ability to alter the performance characteristics of plating baths as well as composite membranes. Parameters evaluated include the bath conversion, plating efficiency, metal film thickness, average pore size of the composite membranes and per cent pore densification. The overall plating rate was found to increase up to 32% with the addition of SDS and 45% with the addition of CTAB. Addition of surfactants not only resulted in increased film thickness (4-5 mm) but also accounted for considerable reduction in average pore size of the composite membrane. CTAB was found to be more effective and efficient than SDS for nickel membrane fabrication.
List of symbolsA m membrane surface area, m 2 C f concentration of Ni z2 in the solution after plating, mol L 21 C i initial concentration of Ni z2 in the plating solution, mol L 21 d i average pore diameter of the substrate (5275 nm) d o average pore diameter of the nickel-ceramic composite membrane, m PPD per cent pore densification, % w 0 amount of nickel originally available in the plating bath, kg w 1 dry weight of the membrane before plating, kg w 2 dry weight of the membrane after plating, kg x conversion of Ni z2 to Ni in the plating bath d thickness of porous nickel film, m g plating efficiency r Ni density of nickel metal, kg m 23 e q 2 film effective porosity of the nickel-ceramic composite membrane skin layer
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