A highly hydrophilic glassy pore wall membrane filter, whose ceramic powder consisted of quartz with glassy additives (lead borosilicate glass and natural zeolite), was studied by sintering at different temperatures (900-1100 oC) and determining the apparent water contact angles using a thin-layer wicking approach. The filter sintered at 1000 oC had the lowest contact angle (11o), which increased with an increase in the sintering temperature. The contact angles were also investigated by goniometry measurements for the case of sintering of the glassy additives above their fusion temperatures (> 940 oC) and a similar result (10o) was obtained. Crystallization and an increase in the apparent water contact angle occurred at the same sintering temperature; both crystallization and contact angle increased with an increase in temperature. The contact angles obtained by the wicking approach are consistent with the microstructural findings. Thus, the lowest contact angle condition indicates a way fabricating a highly hydrophilic glassy pore wall ceramic membrane.

Keywords: A. microporous materials, D. microstructure, D. surface properties.