A computer simulation study of the separation of aqueous solutions using thin zeolite membranes

Abstract

A recently developed molecular simulation scheme for studying solutions undergoing osmosis and reverse osmosis was used to study the separation of aqueous solutions using thin zeolite membranes. This method allows for the preservation of the atomic roughness of the membranes, while the molecules that constitute the membranes are also allowed to vibrate. In the simulations, two thin membranes cut from a cubic cell of ZK-4 zeolite were used as the semi-permeable membranes to separate water from aqueous NaCl solutions. Both osmosis and reverse-osmosis phenomena were observed. The study showed that ZK-4 zeolite membranes show promise for use in membrane-based separation of aqueous electrolyte solutions, as well as other similar systems.