Palladium based micromembranes for hydrogen separation and hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions

Novel palladium-based micromembranes have been microfabricated to allow for controlled selective hydrogen flux. These micromembranes have the potential to be used in a variety of hydrogen purification applications, as well as for hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. The microfabrication process allows for integration of heaters and temperature sensors into the device. The e-beam deposited thin Pd film achieves excellent hydrogen selectivity at high permeation rates. The membrane has good mechanical strength and has been shown to withstand pressure gradients of over 5 atm. Microfabricated palladium membranes enable new applications because of their small size, fast thermal response times, and high efficiency.