Dense metallic membrane challenges

However, dense metal membranes present a few challenges that have, to date, prevented their widespread industrial implementation. The best performing materials, Pd and Pd-alloys, are expensive. Pure Pd displays high H2 permeability and can operate at elevated temperatures, but suffers performance degradation because of poisoning and corrosion from exposure to conmum contaminants (H2S, NH3, CO, CO2, and Hg), hydride formation, and other factors, which will be described in following sections. Pd-alloys can display better chemical stability and mechanical strength than pine Pd, but often at the expense of permeability. 

Membrane reaction processes are systems where separation and reaction are carried out simultaneously, and the continuous extraction of one of the products can shift the equilibrium, enhancing yield and selectivity as compared with a traditional system. The development of membrane reactors has gone hand-in-hand with innovations in membrane materials and catalysts. Specifically, in the case of membranes, the same type of materials used to obtain them can also be adapted to support different catalysts. In terms of the separation and catalysis functions, porous membranes with permeance superior to dense membranes are the preferred candidates for use in membrane reactors these include porous oxide, zeolite, glass, metal, and, more recently, carbon membranes. Although carbon membranes are still in their infancy and have some serious challenges, such as weak mechanical strength as unsupported membranes and bad controllability and reproducibility of manufacture as supported membranes, they are believed to be promising... 

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