Sintered composite membranes

Symmetric membranes and asymmetric membranes are two basic types of membrane based on their structure. Symmetric membranes include non-porous (dense) symmetric membranes and porous symmetric membranes, while asymmetric membranes include integrally skinned asymmetric membranes, coated asymmetric membranes, and composite membranes. A number of different methods are used to prepare these membranes. The most important techniques are sintering, stretching, track-etching, template leaching, phase inversion, and coating (13,33). 

Composite membranes also employ dense cermets fabricated by sintering together mixed powders of metal and ceramic [10-12], Examples include powders of Pd and its alloys sintered with powders of perovskites [11,12], niobium sintered together with AI2O3 [12], and nickel sintered with proton-conducting perovskites. Layers of dense cermets, 25-100 xm thick, are supported by porous ceramic tubes. Cermets employing chemically reactive metals, Nb, Ta, U, V, Zr, and their alloys, are typically coated with Pd and alloys thereof [11,12],... 

In yet another variation, composite membranes are fabricated by sintering together powders of highly hydrogen permeable metals, Pd, Nb, Ta, Ti, V, Zr and their alloys, with powders of a second metal or alloy that is non-permeable to hydrogen [12]. The function of the non-permeable metal is to provide mechanical support for the hydrogen transport materials, especially if the latter are to be... 

For ill-designed composite membranes, for example, formed by depositing palladium onto substrates which it does not wet, surface tension will force the thin film to contract and ball up if the palladium atoms acquire sufficient surface mobility. Pinholes may form as a prelude to complete de-wetting, or pinholes may remain from the initial fabrication if the palladium did not fully wet its substrate. Kinetics of de-wetting is accelerated at elevated temperature and in the presence of adsorbates such as CO, which increase surface mobility of Pd. If molten metals do not wet ceramics, they will be expelled from ceramic pores. During sintering of cermets, Pd and other metals will not adhere to the ceramic phase, if the metal and ceramic do not wet. 

Since the lower limit for preparing porous membranes by sintering is about 0.1 pm in pore diameter, this technique cannot be used to prepare ultrafiltration membranes. Such sintered porous structures can be used as the sublayer for composite ultrafiltration membranes, a technique frequently employed in the preparation of the ceramic ultrafiltration membranes. On the other band, ultrafiltration membranes themselves are often used as sublayers in composite membranes for reverse osmosis, nanofiltcation, gas separation and pervaporation. - -... 

The preparation of composite PCMs starts with the synthesis of porous substrates, followed by the formation of thin PCM films. Detailed procedures are illustrated in Figure 6.3. An exact procedure should be conducted to obtain thin, dense ceramic films [17].The carbon black content for the synthesis of porous substrates can be varied so as to determine conditions that match accurately the shrinkage profile of the porous substrates with that of the deposited perovskite films during the final sintering of the composite membrane. Partial sintering of the green substrates is conducted to match their subsequent shrinkage with that of coated powders so that fissures and cracks can be minimized. 

Controlled removal of the template is especially important when zeolite based membranes are involved consisting of a continuous MFI layer on a ceramic or sintered metal support (ref. 14). In these novel composite ceramic membranes the formation of cracks during template removal would be detrimental. The unique properties (ref. 14) of metal-supported MFl-layer membranes prove that indeed crack formation can be essentially prevented. 

In reality, most real cells are never fully at equilibrium because the two half cells are located on either side of a semipermeable membrane, sinter or frit, such as a thin separator of rubber or terracotta (see Figure 3.14). Because ions transfer, and because the two half cells comprise different electrolytes (e.g. in terms of different concentration, etc.), the compositions of the two half cells change with time. 

Divided cells — Electrochemical cells divided by sintered glass, ceramics, or ion-exchange membrane (e.g., - Nafion) into two or three compartments. The semipermeable separators should avoid mixing of anolyte and - catholyte and/or to isolate the reference electrode from the studied solution, but simultaneously maintain the cell resistance as low as possible. The two- or three-compartment cells are typically used a) for preparative electrolytic experiments to prevent mixing of products and intermediates of anodic and cathodic reactions, respectively b) for experiments where different composition of the solution should be used for anodic and cathodic compartment c) when a component of the reference electrode (e.g., water, halide ions etc.) may interfere with the studied compounds or with the electrode. For very sensitive systems additional bridge compartments can be added. 

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