Zirconium membrane

Hsu, C., and RP. Buxbaum, 1987, Palladium-coated zirconium membranes for oxidative extraction, in Preprint Annual AIChE Meeting, New York. 

Buxbaum RE, Hsu PC. Measurement of diffusive and surface transport resistances for deuterium in palladium-coated zirconium membranes. J Nucl Mater. 1992 189(2) 183. Buxbaum RE, Kinney AB. Hydrogen transport through tubular membranes of palladium-coated tantalum and niobium. Ind Eng Chem Res. 1996 35 530. 

Tubes for dynamic membranes ate usually smaller (ca 6-mm ID). Typically, the tubes ate porous carbon or stainless steel with inorganic membranes (sihca, zirconium oxide, etc) formed in place. 

Another type of membrane is the dynamic membrane, formed by dynamically coating a selective membrane layer on a finely porous support. Advantages for these membranes are high water flux, generation and regeneration in situ abiUty to withstand elevated temperatures and corrosive feeds, and relatively low capital and operating costs. Several membrane materials are available, but most of the work has been done with composites of hydrous zirconium oxide and poly(acryhc acid) on porous stainless steel or ceramic tubes. 

Ceramic Membranes Alumina-based microfiltration membranes and porous carbon substrates are tightened for use as UF membranes usually by depositing a layer of zirconium oxide on the surface. 

In this case study, a zirconia-alumina membrane has been developed using the sol-gel technique with and without support.6-7 The porous ceramic was prepared to fabricate the membrane support. A thin film of aluminum and zirconium were formed on the porous ceramic support. Unsupported membrane was also prepared. The unsupported membrane was not strong enough to hold a high-pressure gradient it was very fragile and not useful... 

We have successfully developed a new inorganic ceramic membrane coated with zirconium and alumina. A thin film of alumina and zirconia unsupported membrane was also fabricated. The successful method developed was the sol-gel technique. 

In the brine electrolysis system, silica is also contained in raw salt. Silica will precipitate on to membranes in the presence of calcium, strontium, aluminium and iodine resulting in the loss of current efficiency [8-10]. Silica can also be removed in a column filled with ion-exchange resin containing zirconium hydroxide, just like the iodide ion. 

As was mentioned previously, an effective system, RNDS , has been developed to remove particular impurities from brine used in membrane electrolysis procedures. The basic concept of RNDS is to bring the feed brine into contact with an ion-exchange resin containing zirconium hydroxide for the adsorptive removal of impurities. For the removal of the sulphate ion from brine, commercial plants utilising RNDS are already in service. For the elimination of iodide and silica, pilot-scale testing is being planned. 

Yang, C., Srinivasan, S., Bocarsly, A. B., Tulyani, S. and Benziger, J. B. 2004. A comparison of physical properties and fuel cell performance of Nafion and zirconium phosphate/Nafion composite membranes. Journal of Membrane Science 237 145-161. 

Particularly, in the case of proton-conducting zirconium phosphate prepared via in situ growth within the preformed membrane,the proton conductivity of the highly dispersed filler may have some significance at high temperature and low humidity, where the conductivity of pure Nafion strongly decreases. 

Yang, X.J., Fane, A.G. and Pin, C. (2002) Separation of zirconium and hafnium using hollow fibers - Part I. Supported liquid membranes. Chemical Engineering Journal, 88, 37. 

Apichatachutapan, W., Moore, R.B., and Mauritz, K.A., Asymmetric Nafion/(zirconium oxide) hybrid membranes via in situ sol-gel chemistry, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 62,417,1996. 

DFG MAK 1 mg(Zr)/m3 DOT CLASSIFICATION 8 Label Corrosive SAFETY PROFILE Moderately toxic by ingestion. A corrosive irritant to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Ignites spontaneously in air. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of CP. See also ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS and HYDROCHLORIC ACID. 

Figure 12 idealized structure of a-zirconium phosphate (a-ZrP) showing one of the zeolitic cavities created by the arrangement of the layers. (From G. Alberti, in Study Week on Membranes (R. Passino, ed.), Pontificiae Acad. Sci. Scripta, Varia, Rome, p. 629, 1976. With permission.)... 

Some of those developments at Oak Ridge were believed to spin off in some form at Union Carbide and some aspects of the efforts led to the commercialization of dyiuunically formed membranes primarily for ultrafiltration and hypeiTiltration (reverse osmosis) applications. In these dynamic membranes, a mixture of zirconium hydroxide and polyacrylic acid deposited on a porous support which provides the necessary mechanical strength. The support is mostly made of porous carbon although porous ceramic and stainless steel are also used. These non-sintered membranes, in great contrast to most of the membranes discussed in this book, are formed in situ and require periodic regeneration with new zirconium hydroxide and polyacrylic acid. 

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