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Membrane
Structures for Hydrogen Separation--Genesis Fueltech, Inc., 528 South
Cannon,
Mr. Peter David DeVries, Principal Investigator, david@genesisfueltech.com
Mr. Joseph Phillip Piffer, Business Official, phillip@genesisfueltech.com
DOE Grant No. DE‑FG02‑06ER84535
Amount: $748,000
Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells require
high-purity oxygen. This project will
develop a low-cost hydrogen-permeable membrane that provides permeated hydrogen
with a high-enough purity for PEM fuel cell usage. Phase I involved forming a thin palladium
alloy on a permeable metallic support, where the alloy film was free of
porosity or defects. A pore-free
palladium alloy film was fabricated and demonstrated in a small purifier
module. In Phase II, the supported
membrane will be further developed and fully tested in a scaled-up, integrated
purifier module. Specific tasks include
determining how thin the membrane can be formed, optimizing the fabrication
methods, and determining whether alternative alloys can provide superior
results. Purifier modules will be tested
for output and durability in methanol reformers to establish their suitability
for commercialization.
Commercial
Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The
hydrogen separation membranes should enable the
broad commercialization of integrated fuel cell systems. Near-term markets should exist in building
reformers for remote power applications, military power generation, and fuel
cell transportation systems (hydrogen refueling stations, on-vehicle reformers
for public transportation buses).
Furthermore, the purifier itself should find use in other industries as
well – from purification for gas chromatographs to industrial scale
applications requiring purified hydrogen.