Silica　is　a　main　component　of　cordierite　ceramic,　in　the　present　work,　industrial　solid　waste　was　used　as　main　silica　source　to　prepare　porous　planar　cordierite　membranes　by　a　solid-phase　sintering　process　with　starch　as　pore-forming　agent.　It　is　shown　that　the　concentration　of　starch　plays　a　critical　role　in　the　pore　structure　and　mechanical　property　and　the　cordierite　membranes　with　a　starch　concentration　of　40　wt%　(M-40)　have　a　desirable　pore　structure　and　flexural　strength　after　sintering　at　1300　degrees　C　for　5　h.　After　grafted　with　1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane　(FAS,　C-8),　the　ceramic　membranes　were　used　for　desalination　by　vacuum　membrane　distillation　(VMD).　The　results　show　that　the　membranes(M-40)　possess　an　average　flux　of　11.43　kg/m(2)　h,　a　high　salt　rejection　of　99.9%　under　the　following　operation　conditions:　a　NaCl　concentration　of　3.5　wt%,　a　feed　rate　of　300　ml/min　and　a　temperature　of　80　degrees　C.　After　desalination　for　120　h,　the　water　contact　angle　decreases　to　130　degrees.　The　cordierite　membranes　exhibit　poor　resistance　to　thermal　acid/alkali　solution(boiling,　pH　=　1　and　14,　respectively,　soaked　for　8　h)　but　excellent　resistance　to　ambient　temperature　acid/alkali　solution　(25　degrees　C,　pH　=　1　and　14,　respectively,　soaked　for　120　h).