Free-standing Pd-23wt%Ag membranes, with 5 thicknesses ranging from 1.3 to 5.0μm, were prepared by magnetron sputtering. The hydrogen permeation was determined before and after heat-treatment in air at 300C. For all of the membranes studied, the heat treatment resulted in enhanced permeation and, for some membranes, the hydrogen flux more than doubled. A permeance of 1.7 x 10-2mol/m2sPa0.5 was observed for 1.3μm-thick membranes. Bulk diffusion was the main rate-limiting step after heat treatment in air. The permeability was similar for all of the membranes studied after this treatment, with a mean value of 2.1 x 10-8mol.m/m2sPa0.5. Atomic force microscopy showed that samples which were heat-treated in air had a higher surface roughness, a larger surface area and a larger surface grains than samples not heat-treated in air.

Hydrogen Permeation of Thin, Free-Standing Pd/Ag23% Membranes before and after Heat Treatment in Air. A.L.Mejdell, H.Klette, A.Ramachandran, A.Borg, R.Bredesen: Journal of Membrane Science, 2008, 307[1], 96-104

 

Table 137

Diffusivity of D in Pd-25%Ag as a Function of Pressure

[D (cm2/s) = α+ βP + γP2]

 

T (C)

α

β

γ

P (psia)

300

1.23 x 10-5

6.37 x 10-8

8.90 x 10-12

7.6-882

400

2.64 x 10-5

4.05 x 10-8

1.92 x 10-11

7.7-894

500

4.80 x 10-5

3.66 x 10-8

-3.80 x 10-12

7.5-855