Ternary-alloy membranes were fabricated on a porous Ni support by sputtering, followed by Cu re-flow. The weight composition of Pd:Cu:Ni was 88.9:7.4:3.7, the thickness was 12μm, and α–β phase-transition tests were carried out using H gas at 373 to 623K with feed-side pressures of 0.052 or 0.138MPa. There were neither peaks nor shoulders in the H flux across the entire temperature range, showing that the α–β phase transition did not occur below the critical points of the Pd–H system (565K, 1.97MPa). The good durability of the membranes was demonstrated by performing temperature cycles from ambient to 773K at a feed-side pressure of 0.138MPa and this was attributed to the phase stability of the α-phase, even at room temperature.

Long-Term Hydrogen Permeation Tests of Pd-Cu-Ni/PNS with Temperature Cycles from Room Temperature to 773K. S.K.Ryi, J.S.Park, S.H.Kim, D.W.Kim, J.W.Moon: Journal of Membrane Science, 2007, 306[1-2], 261-6