Policy / Systems / Technology

September 24, 2010

 

Japanese Researchers Develop Nb-based Alloy Membranes with World's Highest Ability of Hydrogen Purification

Keywords: Environmental Technology University / Research institute 

Nagoya University and Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan announced on July 14, 2010, that its research group has developed a new niobium-based alloy membrane that achieves the world's highest hydrogen permeability (hydrogen purification ability). The group includes research associate Hiroshi Yukawa of the School of Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University; professor Yoshihisa Matsumoto of Oita National College of Technology; and associate professor Tomonori Nambu of Suzuka National College of Technology.

In order to use hydrogen as a clean energy source, hydrogen-containing gases produced by various methods must be separated and refined to achieve high purity. A promising solution for this problem is to separate hydrogen using a metal membrane (membrane that permeates hydrogen). Currently, a palladium-based membrane is being used, but it has several problems such as high cost, low efficiency, low resistance against high temperature, and low durability under long-term use.

The newly developed membrane is mainly composed of niobium (Nb), which features high hydrogen permeability, resistance to high temperature, and "creep resistance." It solves niobium's defect of hydrogen embrittlement by adding tungsten and molybdenum. Also, it achieved more than five times as high hydrogen permeability as that of the palladium-based one, thereby attaining the world's highest performance. Niobium, the main component, is an abundant, low-cost resource. Thus, the cost for the new membrane is less than one thousandth that of the palladium-based one.

Nagoya University official website
http://www.nagoya-u.ac.jp/en/
Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan official website
http://www.kosen-k.go.jp/english/

Posted: 2010/09/24 06:00:15 AM

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