Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines

Calera Corporation

State of Oregon

J Douglas Way

Ryan J Gilliam

Allen J Bard

Kasra Farsad

Valentin Decker

Donald W Kirk

Brent Richard Constantz

Miguel Fernandez

Andrew Youngs

Cecily Ryan

Robert S Danziger

Sidney Omelon

Philip Brian Tuet

John P Collins

Paul Thoen

Colin A Wolden

Mark Thomas Lusk

Stephen N Paglieri

Oyvind Hatlevik

Sabina K Gade

Fernando Roa

The invention provides support-free palladium membranes and methods of making these membranes. Single-gas testing of the unsupported foils produced hydrogen permeabilities equivalent to thicker membranes produced by cold-rolling. Defect-free films as thin as 7.2 microns can be fabricated, with ideal H/Nselectivities as high as 40,000. Homogeneous membrane compositions may also be produced using these methods.

Unsupported palladium alloy membranes and methods of making same

The invention relates to thin, hydrogen-permeable, sulfur-resistant membranes formed from multi-layers of palladium or palladium-alloy coatings on porous, ceramic or metal supports, methods of making these membranes, methods of repairing layers of these membranes and devices that incorporate these membranes.

Multilayer sulfur-resistant composite metal membranes and methods of making and repairing the same

The present invention provides a hydrogen separation membrane based on nanoporous, composite metal carbide or metal sulfide coated membranes capable of high flux and permselectivity for hydrogen without platinum group metals. The present invention is capable of being operated over a broad temperature range, including at elevated temperatures, while maintaining hydrogen selectivity.

Stable catalyst layers for hydrogen permeable composite membranes

Methods of sequestering carbon dioxide (CO) are provided. Aspects of the methods include precipitating a storage stable carbon dioxide sequestering product from an alkaline-earth-metal-containing water and then disposing of the product, e.g., by placing the product in a disposal location or using the product as a component of a manufactured composition. Also provided are systems for practicing methods of the invention.

Methods of sequestering CO2

The invention is directed to a method for producing Palladium alloy composite membranes that are useful in applications that involve the need to separate hydrogen from a gas mixture. The method includes providing a substrate for supporting a palladium alloy film, seeding the support surface with palladium crystallites to produce an activated surface, first plating, over the activated surface, a palladium film, second plating, over the palladium film, an alloying material other than silver, and annealing the porous substrate, palladium film, and alloying material so that there is intermetallic diffusion of the alloying material into the palladium film to produce a palladium alloy film over the porous substrate.

Process for preparing palladium alloy composite membranes for use in hydrogen separation, palladium alloy composite membranes and products incorporating or made from the membranes

The invention provides thin, hydrogen-permeable, sulfur-resistant membranes formed from palladium or palladium-alloy coatings on porous, ceramic or metal supports. Also disclosed are methods of making these membranes via sequential electroless plating techniques, wherein the method of making the membrane includes decomposing any organic ligands present on the substrate, reducing the palladium crystallites on the substrate to reduced palladium crystallites, depositing a film of palladium metal on the substrate and then depositing a second, gold film on the palladium film. These two metal films are then annealed at a temperature between about 200&#xb0; C. and about 1200&#xb0; C. to form a sulfur-resistant, composite PdAu alloy membrane.

Method of making sulfur-resistant composite metal membranes

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A low-energy method and system of forming hydroxide ions in an electrochemical cell. On applying a low voltage across the anode and cathode, hydroxide ions form in the electrolyte containing the cathode, protons form at the anode but a gas e.g. chlorine or oxygen does not form at the anode.

Low energy electrochemical hydroxide system and method

A hydrogen-selective membrane comprises a tubular porous ceramic support having a palladium metal layer deposited on an inside surface of the ceramic support. The thickness of the palladium layer is greater than about 10 .mu.m but typically less than about 20 .mu.m. The hydrogen permeation rate of the membrane is greater than about 1.0 moles/m.sup.2. s at a temperature of greater than about 500.degree. C. and a transmembrane pressure difference of about 1,500 kPa. Moreover, the hydrogen-to-nitrogen selectivity is greater than about 600 at a temperature of greater than about 500.degree. C. and a transmembrane pressure of about 700 kPa. Hydrogen can be separated from a mixture of gases using the membrane. The method may include the step of heating the mixture of gases to a temperature of greater than about 400.degree. C. and less than about 1000.degree. C. before the step of flowing the mixture of gases past the membrane. The mixture of gases may include ammonia. The ammonia typically is decomposed to provide nitrogen and hydrogen using a catalyst such as nickel. The catalyst may be placed inside the tubular ceramic support. The mixture of gases may be supplied by an industrial process such as the mixture of exhaust gases from the IGCC process.

Hydrogen-selective membrane

A hydrogen-selective membrane comprises a tubular porous ceramic support having a palladium metal layer deposited on an inside surface of the ceramic support. The thickness of the palladium layer is greater than about 10 .mu.m but typically less than about 20 .mu.m. The hydrogen permeation rate of the membrane is greater than about 1.0 moles/m.sup.2.s at a temperature of greater than about 500.degree. C. and a transmembrane pressure difference of about 1,500 kPa. Moreover, the hydrogen-to-nitrogen selectivity is greater than about 600 at a temperature of greater than about 500.degree. C. and a transmembrane pressure of about 700 kPa. Hydrogen can be separated from a mixture of gases using the membrane. The method may include the step of heating the mixture of gases to a temperature of greater than about 400.degree. C. and less than about 1000.degree. C. before the step of flowing the mixture of gases past the membrane. The mixture of gases may include ammonia. The ammonia typically is decomposed to provide nitrogen and hydrogen using a catalyst such as nickel. The catalyst may be placed inside the tubular ceramic support. The mixture of gases may be supplied by an industrial process such as the mixture of exhaust gases from the IGCC process.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

J Douglas Way