Multilayer membranes were prepared by alternating adsorption of a cationic polyelectrolyte,chitosan, and an anionic polyelectrolyte, poly(4-styrene sulfonate), onto zeolite A films formedon porous supports in sheet and tube form. The multilayer membranes are shown to exhibit thehigh selectivity for water over alcohols associated with zeolite A but to be considerably morestable under acidic conditions than a pure zeolite A membrane. The membranes were successfullyapplied to the selective removal of water by pervaporation in the esterification of lactic acidwith ethanol, catalyzed by
p-toluenesulfonic acid. For esterification at 70
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
C, yields of about60% without the membrane were increased to >80% with pervaporation, and for esterificationat 100
![](/images/entities/deg.gif)
C, yields of about 70% without the membrane were increased to >90% with pervaporation.