Preparation of High Stability Pd/Ceramic/Ti-Al Alloy Composite Membranes by Electroless Plating

High stability Pd/ceramic/Ti-Al alloy composite membranes were prepared by electroless plating. Ceramic membranes fabricated by an in situ oxidation method were used as an inter-diffusion barrier between the Pd layer and the Ti-Al alloy support of the membranes to prevent intermetallic diffusion. The stabilities of the ceramic membranes at high temperatures in an H(2) atmosphere were investigated. The permeation performances and stabilities of the Pd/ceramic/Ti-Al alloy composite membranes were also studied. The results showed that the thickness, pore size, and microstructure of the ceramic membranes did not change significantly after the treatment in an H(2) atmosphere at high temperatures, indicating that the ceramic membranes prepared by the in situ oxidation method were stable in an H(2) atmosphere at high temperatures. The thickness of the Pd layer was ~13 μm. The hydrogen permeability and H(2)/N(2) selectivity of the Pd composite membranes at 773 K were 2.13 × 10(−3) mol m(−2) s(−1) Pa(−0.5) and 600, respectively. In addition, the H(2) flux, N(2) flux, and H(2)/N(2) selectivity of the composite membranes remained nearly constant over three heat cycles (under the same conditions), indicating that the structures of the Pd/ceramic/Ti-Al alloy composite membranes were stable.