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Title: COST-EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PRODUCING SELF SUPPORTED PALLADIUM ALLOY MEMBRANES FOR USE IN EFFICIENT PRODUCTION OF COAL DERIVED HYDROGEN

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/834511· OSTI ID:834511

To overcome the issue of pinhole (defect) formation in membrane films over large areas, a process was developed and implemented for producing 6-12 {micro}m-thick, Pd-Cu alloy films on thermally oxidized silicon wafer substrates. The processing parameters on silicon are such that adhesion is poor and as-deposited Pd-Cu alloy films easily release from the oxidized silicon surface. Hydrogen permeation tests were conducted on 9 and 12 {micro}m-thick Pd-Cu alloy films and the hydrogen flux for 9 and 12 {micro}m-thick films were 16.8 and 8 cm{sup 3}(STP)/cm{sup 2} {center_dot} min respectively. The hydrogen permeability (corrected using data in McKinnley patent) of the 9 {micro}m-thick membrane is 7.4 {center_dot} 10{sup -5} cm{sup 3}(STP) {center_dot} cm/cm{sup 2} {center_dot} s {center_dot} cm Hg{sup 0.5} at 350 C and compares very well to permeability reported by McKinnley for a 62.5% Pd membrane; this permeability is {approx}56% of the value reported for a Pd-Cu alloy membrane with optimum 60% Pd composition. Using XRD, we confirmed the presence of a two-phase, {alpha}/{beta}, structure and that the composition of our membrane was slightly higher than the optimum composition. We are making adjustments to the compositions of the Pd-Cu alloy target in order to produce films next quarter that match the ideal Pd{sub 60}Cu{sub 40} composition.

Research Organization:
Southwest Research Institute (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
(US)
DOE Contract Number:
FC26-03NT41849
OSTI ID:
834511
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Oct 2004
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English