Preparation Technique of a Single Pd Membrane Using Electroless Plating for Hydrogen Permeation

Abstract

The hydrogen permeation rate reached 860 mL/min with a single membrane. The value was achieved by the result of obtaining thin and large membranes with no defect using an electroless plating method. The obtained membranes were self-supported. They were separated from substrate with no damage by introducing a Pd-containing sacrificial layer with subsequent Pd nanoparticle activation, plating and mild removal. The increased Pd nucleus and homogeneous dispersion of Pd nuclei were effective for obtaining thin and large membranes without a pinhole. The membrane minimum thickness was less than 5 m. The area size of obtained membranes was larger than 5600 mm 2 . Hydrogen permeation tests were conducted for the effective area of 1013 mm 2 . When a gas mixture including H 2 , CO, and CO 2 was introduced into the feed side, gas chromatography detected no other gas but hydrogen in the permeation side. The hydrogen permeation flux data were evaluated using Sieverts' law and the power law. The hydrogen permeation rate of the self-supported membrane was stable for nearly 1400 hrs.