Mesoporous filter

Abstract

A particulate filter is provided for passing through select permeate particles in a fluid medium from inflow to outflow regions while restraining reticulate particles. The filter includes a coarse-grain ceramic porous substrate, an intermediate-grain porous ceramic layer, a fine-grain ceramic porous membrane, and a channel there-through. The substrate opens into the outflow region as an outflow cavity. The intermediate-grain porous ceramic layer is disposed on the substrate. The fine-grain ceramic porous membrane is disposed on the layer and opens into the inflow region containing the medium as an inflow cavity. The channel directionally expands and connects the inflow and outflow cavities together by a substantially funnel-shape passage. The inflow cavity permits the permeate particles and the medium but obstructs the reticulate particles. Additionally, a method is provided for producing a particulate filter that passes through select permeate particles in a fluid medium from inflow to outflow regions while restraining reticulate particles. The method includes providing an aluminum oxide substrate, disposing a sol-gel membrane onto the substrate to form a filtration unit, drying the filtration unit, and calcinating the filtration unit.