Contamination-Resistant Two-Phase Membranes for High-Temperature Hydrogen Separation

72104S03-I Demand for high-purity hydrogen is on the increase, and supplying this commodity from advanced gasification processes is a necessary intermediate step to a hydrogen-based energy economy. Inorganic membranes that operate in excess of 800¿C and are manufacturable, economic, robust, and contamination-resistant, could provide a means of extracting high-purity hydrogen from gasifiers. Therefore, this project will develop two-phase, mixed-conducting membranes with very high hydrogen selectivity and desirable flux. In addition, the membranes will exhibit manufacturability, low-cost, and chemical stability under projected operational environments. In Phase I, the feasibility of fabricating the two-phase membranes and their separation properties will be established. Small unsupported membranes will be evaluated for hydrogen separation properties at elevated temperatures, and a preliminary evaluation of supported membrane fabrication will be conducted. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by awardee: Development of large scale, cost-effective hydrogen separation technology should facilitate commercialization of hydrogen-powered vehicles and improve the economics and environmental impact of stationary power generation processes. Aside from positive environmental benefits, the dependence of our national economy on foreign oil imports should be reduced. Other commercial markets include petroleum refining, metallurgical processing, and chemical manufacturing (including very high-volume products such as ammonia and methanol).