Abstract
The increasing demand for pure hydrogen in operating fuel cells, the great attraction of dehydrogenation and
hydrogenation membrane reactions, prospective uses in producing hydrogen related fine chemicals, and the traditional application in petrochemical and metallurgical processes make the Pd-based metal membrane for hydrogen
separation extremely important. Prior to its industrialization, however, the metal membrane must satisfy multiple
objectives, such as delivering high hydrogen permeance, overcoming hydrogen embrittlement, showing mechanical/thermal/chemical stability, and lowering cost.
Of these the important points to be addressed are how to prepare thinner membrane without defects and how to
avoid stress and force at interface between the membrane and substrate. Here a survey on this point was made, followed by an introduction of a novel combined organic/inorganic process for preparing a thin and defect-free metal
membrane with a small interstice at the membrane/substrate interface. This novel structure led to excellent hydrogen permeance, selectivity and membrane stability for long-term use.
