Pervaporation membrane reactors (PVMRs) for esterification

The core part of this work deals with the review of the most promising studies about pervaporation membrane reactors (PVMRs) for esterification. After presenting the Fischer esterification reaction, the conventional reaction separation technologies are described. The most relevant pervaporative technologies defined in the last 25 years are then shown considering catalyst used, configurations, membranes materials, performances, and overall conversions obtained. Moreover the sustainability and the flexibility of the PVMR is remarked. As for the membranes, polyvinyl alcohol membranes showed to be the most assessed membranes, being cheap and very flexible, whereas zeolite-type membranes gave high water selectivity and permeance, leading to a high yield of the ester produced (these membranes mainly suffer from low reproducibility). In this chapter, some focus is also given to multilayered membranes, bifunctional multilayered membranes (which are completed with a catalytic layer that increases the reagents conversion and, together with the water permeation driving force, water flux), and biocatalytic (enzyme catalyst) reactors. Finally, a concise overview of ester-selective PVMR configuration research activities is also provided