HYDROGEN DIFFUSION MEMBRANES BASED ON SOME PALLADIUM RARE-EARTH SOLID-SOLUTION ALLOYS

This paper describes the behaviour of some hydrogen diffusion membranes which are based on the palladium-rare earth solid solution alloys Pd-5.7% Ce, Pd-8% Gd and Pd-8% Y1. Over a wide range of differential pressures and temperatures these membranes exhibit significantly greater hydrogen permeabilities than the standard Pd-25 % Ag commercial membrane and the best performance is observed for the Pd-8% Y alloy. Comparative hydrogen solubility studies clearly show that the enhanced permeabilities of the palladium-rare earth alloys compared with those of Pd-25% Ag are due to greater, high temperature hydrogen solubility gradients in these materials. © 1979, Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft.