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Ceramic Appliques for the Production of Supported Thin-Film Catalytic Membrane Reactors--Eltron Research, Inc., 4600 Nautilus Court South, Boulder, CO  80301-3241; 303-530-0263

Dr. Pamela Van Calcar, Principal Investigator, eltron@eltronresearch.com  

Ms. Eileen E. Sammells, Business Official, eltron@eltronresearch.com  

DOE Grant No. DE-FG03-00ER82996

Amount:  $600,000

In the separation of oxygen from air, dense thin film ceramic membranes offer the advantage of higher oxygen flux at lower temperatures than current dense ceramic membranes.  The selectivity of the dense ceramic membranes are superior to that of low temperature polymeric membranes.  This project will utilize mixed ionic and electronic conducting materials, which have been fabricated into dense catalytic membrane reactors that exhibit high oxygen flux.  To commercialize these materials, fabrication techniques for producing operationally stable thin films must be developed.   In Phase I, a tape-casting-based fabrication method was used to produce thin film appliqués of these membranes.  The membranes were laminated to porous supports and sintered into dense films.  Oxygen flux through these films was increased relative to thick membranes.  Phase II will improve all aspects of successful reactor operation, including the porous support formulations, match of film appliqué and porous support sintering properties, catalyst composition, and deposition techniques.  Also the membrane will be scaled up, and pressure driven oxygen separation tests will be performed.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Fabrication of supported thin film membranes by readily available production methods should make these membranes cost effective for direct oxygen separation from the air in processes which require pure oxygen.  In combustion processes, for example, the use of pure oxygen will increase heating efficiency by removal of N₂ diluent, with simultaneous reduction in NO_x emissions.