Publication date: 10th April 2024
Among hydrogen-related technologies, research on methane(CH4) oxidation and water(H2O) splitting using an oxygen-permeable membrane is in the spotlight for hydrogen(H2) production. Ceramic membranes, capable of transporting pure oxygen, are used for high-temperature combustion reactions.[1,2] A suitable membrane for oxygen permeation should possess not only high oxygen permeability but also high structural stability in various oxygen partial pressures (pO2) at high temperatures (>700oC). Perovskite oxides such as Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ show high oxygen permeability, but it has frequently been reported on the degradation of a material due to structural instability at high temperatures.[3] Herein, a new oxygen-permeable membrane material is evaluated for use in hydrogen production by methane oxidation and/or water splitting. A pellet-type of BaCo0.7Fe0.25Zr0.05O3-d (BCFZ) membrane is produced to measure oxygen permeability. To ensure the structural stability of membrane material in high-temperature reduction, Zirconium(Zr) is introduced into the B-site in Ba-based perovskite oxide. The oxygen permeability and structural stability of the BCFZ membrane are analyzed under operating conditions, and the possibility of use as an oxygen-permeable membrane for hydrogen production is confirmed.
This work was supported by the Korea Electric Power Research Institute(KEPRI) grant funded by the Korea Electric Power Corporation(KEPCO) (No. R22XO05-10).