Dense ceramic membranes challenges

SO2 must be considered in the membrane testing devices more frequently (as CO2 is well-implemented right now). The development of S02-tolerant dense ceramic membranes is still a chemical challenge to face. 

Dense ceramic membranes allow oxygen separation with extremely high selectivity and can be incorporated into membrane reactors for a variety of oxygen-related reactions. The applications of dense ceramic MRs will bring many economic and environmental benefits, with improved selectivity and yields. However, in order to realize the potential benefits of MRs and commercialize them successfully, there are still many challenges that have to be faced not only from membrane materials but also from engineering aspects. 

This chapter aims to keep these challenges in mind as we review the defect chemistry, transport theory and aspects of characterization of hydrogen permeation in dense ceramics. We will first look at some applications and simple schemes of operation of hydrogen-permeable membranes and then, briefly, at the literature and status of hydrogen-permeable dense ceramics. 

The scaling up of membrane technologies is the most challenging yet important task. Design and engineering problems have to be overcome before dense ceramic MRs will find extensive commercial applications. 

In fact, all the challenges faced by dense ceramic oxygen-permeable membrane reactors as described in Chapter 5 have to be faced by PCMRs. Searching for better membrane materials, developing effective membrane synthesis methods, and improving chemical and structural stability of the current membrane materials will be the focus of active... 

---