Microsieve supporting palladium-silver alloy membrane and application to hydrogen separation

• Published in: Journal of microelectromechanical systems 2005-02, Vol.14 (1), p.113-124
• Main Authors: Hien Duy Tong, Gielens, F.C., Gardeniers, J.G.E., Jansen, H.V., Berenschot, J.W., de Boer, M.J., de Boer, J.H., van Rijn, C.J.M., Elwenspoek, M.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 110 wafers; Biomembranes; Chemical industry; Chemical technology; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; Fluxes; Fossil fuels; Fuel processing industries; Helium; Hydrogen; Hydrogen separation; Hydrogen storage; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Joints; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; membrane module; membrane reactor; Membranes; microfabrication technology; Micromechanical devices and systems; Palladium base alloys; Pd-Ag membrane; Petroleum; Physics; Production; Purification; Separation; SiN microsieves
• ISSN: 1057-7157; 1941-0158
• DOI: 10.1109/JMEMS.2004.839005

A submicron thick and defect-free palladium-silver (Pd-Ag) alloy membrane is fabricated on a supporting microsieve by using microfabrication techniques. The microfabrication process also creates a robust wafer-scale membrane module, which can easily be inserted into a membrane holder to have gas-tight connections to the outer world. The microfabricated membrane demonstrated high separation fluxes of up to 4 mol H/sub 2//m/sup 2//spl middot/s with a minimal selectivity of 1500 for hydrogen over helium (H/sub 2//He) at 450/spl deg/C and 83 kPa H/sub 2/ retentate pressure. The present membrane has great potential for hydrogen purification and in applications like dehydrogenation chemistry. In addition, the presented technology can be used to fabricate other kinds of ultrathin but strong and defect-free membranes to set up new applications.