ZEOLITIC SEPARATION MEMBRANE AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME

The invention provides a process for production of a zeolite separation membrane having a porous support and a zeolite layer formed on the porous support, the process comprising: a seed crystal attaching step in which zeolite seed crystals are attached to the porous support; a layer forming step in which: the porous support to which the zeolite seed crystals have been attached is contacted with a reaction solution containing zeolite raw material, and the temperature of the reaction solution is raised to a prescribed temperature to form a zeolite layer on the porous support; and a support separating step in which the porous support on which the zeolite layer has been formed is separated from the reaction solution; wherein in the layer forming step, after the start of contact between the porous support and reaction solution, the temperature of the reaction solution is held at or below 40° C. for at least 30 minutes before being raised to the prescribed temperature. The production process of the invention yields a zeolite separation membrane that can accomplish reliable and satisfactory separation of alcohol and water even when the water content relative to alcohol is low.