Development of proton-conducting membranes for separating hydrogen from gas mixtures

摘要

Thin and dense ceramic membranes fabricated from mixed protonic/electronic conductors can provide a simple, efficient means of separating hydrogen from gas streams and offer an alternative to existing methods of hydrogen recovery. Because mixed electronic/protonic conductors internally transport not only hydrogen (and thus provide the means to separate hydrogen from other gaseous components) but also electrons, hydrogen separation could be achieved in a non-Galvanic mode of operation (i.e., without the need for external electrodes, circuitry, and/or power supply). This paper summarizes results obtained in Argonne's effort to develop material for use as a hydrogen separation membrane. The transport properties of BaCe(0.95)Y(0.05)O3-(alpha) (5%-BCY) and SrCe(0.95)Y(0.05)O(3-(alpha)) (5%-SCY) were characterized by impedance spectroscopy, gas permeation, and open-cell voltage measurements. In this presentation, the authors describe the materials selection, synthesis, characterization, and performance evaluation of mixed conducting dense ceramic membranes for hydrogen separation applications.