The use of coal, a secure and economical energy source, to produce a clean hydrogen fuel with near-zero emission would support the domestic and global green economy. A membrane is the most economical approach to meet the challenges of this process. This project will develop a defect free membrane that has high flux, high selectivity, and high resistance to contaminants; is able to handle high pressure and temperature; and is durable and economical. The approach is to carefully choose materials that meet most of these criteria, and then employ coating and assembly techniques to achieve the rest. Various operational conditions will be evaluated in Phase I to determine feasibility. This will be followed by a prototype demonstration for hydrogen purification in Phase II.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: Commercial applications for this membrane should include the development of chemical, refinery, transportation, and consumer products. For example, the new membrane could be used to recover hydrogen from the oil refining process and to adjust the syngas ratio for downstream Fischer-Tropsch reaction. It also could be used as a membrane reactor for dehydrogenation or hydrogenation chemical processes to boost the yield of desired products.
