Polymer-derived porous SiOC ceramic membranes for efficient oil-water separation and membrane distillation

Porous SiOC ceramic membranes (PSCM), with a narrow pore size distribution, were prepared by a casting method, using a polymer liquid (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS), as a pore-forming agent, and a pre-ceramic liquid (polysiloxane, PSO), followed by pyrolysis at 1200 °C in flowing Ar gas. Pore size, porosity, and N2 and water permeation increased with increasing PDMS content in the mixture of the precursors. An oil-in-water emulsion, with an...