Hydrogen-permeable membrane and manufacturing method of the same

• US 7,049,008 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2003
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoyama, Satoshi, Ito, Naoki, Iijima, Masahiko, Sato, Hiromichi, Nakata, Toshihide
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalafut, Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US10/351,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20030148884A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 428/662, 428/670, 427/404, 427/405, 427/125
• US Class Current: 428/662
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2325/06 Surface irregularities
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/228 characterised by specific membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0069 by deposition from the liquid phase, e.g. electrochemical deposition B01D67/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 67/0072 by deposition from the gaseous phase, e.g. sputtering, CVD, PVD
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/00 Semi-permeable membranes for separation processes or apparatus characterised by their form, structure or properties; Manufacturing processes specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/02 characterised by their properties
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/12 Composite membranes; Ultra-thin membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1213 Laminated layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 69/1216 Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/022 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/0221 Group 4 or 5 metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/02231 Palladium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 71/02232 Nickel
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0233 the reforming step being a steam reforming step
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0405 Purification by membrane separation
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/047 the impurity being carbon monoxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/0475 the impurity being carbon dioxide
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/048 the impurity being an organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1076 Copper or zinc-based catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 2203/1223 Methanol
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/323 : Catalytic reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds other than hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/503 : characterised by the membrane
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 3/505 : Membranes containing palladium
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 : Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8814 : Temporary supports, e.g. decal
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8825 : Methods for deposition of the catalytic active composition
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/90 : Selection of catalytic material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 : Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/925 : supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1004 : characterised by membrane-electrode assemblies [MEA] H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 : Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/52 : using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12819 : Group VB metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12875 : Platinum group metal-base component

Abstract

A hydrogen-permeable membrane includes a permeable layer which has a function of making hydrogen permeate therethrough, and a catalyst layer which acts as a catalyst for promoting permeation of the hydrogen in the permeable layer. An area of the catalyst layer which contacts gas is larger than an area of the permeable layer.

Claims

1. A hydrogen-permeable membrane comprising:

a permeable layer containing a Group VA element and through which hydrogen is permeatable; and

a catalyst layer which promotes permeation of hydrogen in the permeable layer, and which is provided on at least one surface of the permeable layer so as to form a surface layer of the hydrogen-permeable membrane, and whose contact area that contacts gas is larger than an area of the permeable layer;

wherein the catalyst layer includes a first layer which covers the permeable layer, and a second layer which is provided on the first layer in order to make the contact area larger than the area of the permeable layer.

2. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 1, wherein the second layer includes a convex portion which is provided on the first layer.

3. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion is a supporting catalyst.

4. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 2, wherein the convex portion includes an uneven surface.

5. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is a porous layer.

6. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 1, wherein the permeable layer contains a Group VA element, the first layer contains Pd, and the second layer contains at least one metal element selected from a group consisting of Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, Re, and Ni.

7. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst layer includes a first layer which covers the permeable layer, and a second layer which is provided on the first layer, and whose reaction rate at which a hydrogen atom is dissociated from a hydrogen molecule is higher than that of the first layer.

8. The hydrogen-permeable membrane according to claim 7, wherein the first layer contains Pd.

9. A manufacturing method of the hydrogen-permeable membrane which makes hydrogen selectively permeate therethrough, comprising

preparing a base body;

arranging the base body in an inert atmosphere; and

sequentially forming, in the inert atmosphere, a first layer which contains Pd on the base body, a second layer which contains a Group VA element on the first layer, and a third layer which contains Pd on the second layer.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the base body is formed of a porous material.

11. The method according to claim 9, further comprising removing the base body.