Abstract
The specific function of inorganic materials can be used not only as a separation membrane but also as a catalytically active membrane. The permeating species are in the form of molecules for porous membrane and atoms or ions for non–porous ones. In the membrane reactor process, it is possible to change the reaction atmosphere by separating a particular product or supplying a particular reactant, or carrying out selective reactions on the catalytic membrane. It has been demonstrated that packed–layer membrane reactors achieve high conversions by shifting the reaction equilibrium, and catalytic membrane reactors also exhibit high reaction selectivity by limiting the reaction field, and so on.
