Corrosion of Ba1−xSrxCo1−yFeyO3−δ and La0.3Ba0.7Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ materials for oxygen separating membranes under Oxycoal conditions

Effects of Bi Substitution on the Cobalt-Free 60wt.%Ce0.9Pr0.1O2−δ-40wt.%Pr0.6Sr0.4Fe1−xBixO3−δ Oxygen Transport Membranes

The mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) oxygen transport membrane (OTM) can completely selectively penetrate oxygen theoretically and can be widely used in gas separation and oxygen-enriched combustion industries. In this paper, dual-phase MIEC OTMs doped with Bi are successfully prepared by a sol-gel method with high-temperature sintering, whose chemical formulas are 60wt.%Ce0.9Pr0.1O2−δ-40wt.%Pr0.6Sr0.4Fe1−xBixO3−δ (60CPO-40PSF1−xBxO, x = 0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20). The dual-phase structure, element content, surface morphology, oxygen permeability, and stability are studied by XRD, EDXS, SEM, and self-built devices, respectively. The optimal Bi-doped component is 60wt.%Ce0.9Pr0.1O2−δ-40wt.%Pr0.6Sr0.4Fe0.99Bi0.01O3−δ, which can maintain 0.71 and 0.62 mL·min−1·cm−2 over 50 h under He and CO2 atmospheres, respectively. The oxygen permeation flux through these Bi-doped OTMs under air/CO2 gradient is 12.7% less than that under air/He gradient, which indicates that the Bi-doped OTMs have comparable oxygen permeability and excellent CO2 tolerance.

Enhancing Oxygen Permeation via the Incorporation of Silver Inside Perovskite Oxide Membranes

As a possible novel cost-effective method for oxygen production from air separation, ion-conducting ceramic membranes are becoming a hot research topic due to their potentials in clean energy and environmental processes. Oxygen separation via these ion-conducting membranes is completed via the bulk diffusion and surface reactions with a typical example of perovskite oxide membranes. To improve the membrane performance, silver (Ag) deposition on the membrane surface as the catalyst is a good strategy. However, the conventional silver coating method has the problem of particle aggregation, which severely lowers the catalytic efficiency. In this work, the perovskite oxide La0.8Ca0.2Fe0.94O3−a (LCF) and silver (5% by mole) composite (LCFA) as the membrane starting material was synthesized using one-pot method via the wet complexation where the metal and silver elements were sourced from their respective nitrate salts. LCFA hollow fiber membrane was prepared and comparatively investigated for air separation together with pure LCF hollow fiber membrane. Operated from 800 to 950 °C under sweep gas mode, the pure LCF membrane displayed the fluxes from 0.04 to 0.54 mL min−1 cm−2. Compared to pure LCF, under similar operating conditions, the flux of LCFA membrane was improved by 160%.

Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conducting Membranes (MIEC) for Their Application in Membrane Reactors: A Review

Mixed ionic-electronic conducting membranes have seen significant progress over the last 25 years as efficient ways to obtain oxygen separation from air and for their integration in chemical production systems where pure oxygen in small amounts is needed. Perovskite materials are the most employed materials for membrane preparation. However, they have poor phase stability and are prone to poisoning when subjected to CO2 and SO2, which limits their industrial application. To solve this, the so-called dual-phase membranes are attracting greater attention. In this review, recent advances on self-supported and supported oxygen membranes and factors that affect the oxygen permeation and membrane stability are presented. Possible ways for further improvements that can be pursued to increase the oxygen permeation rate are also indicated. Lastly, an overview of the most relevant examples of membrane reactors in which oxygen membranes have been integrated are provided.

Designing CO2-resistant oxygen-selective mixed ionic-electronic conducting membranes: guidelines, recent advances, and forward directions

CO₂ resistance is an enabling property for the wide-scale implementation of oxygen-selective mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes in clean energy technologies, i.e., oxyfuel combustion, clean coal energy delivery, and catalytic membrane reactors for greener chemical synthesis. The significant rise in the number of studies over the past decade and the major progress in CO₂-resistant MIEC materials warrant systematic guidelines on this topic. To this end, this review features the pertaining aspects in addition to the recent status and advances of the two most promising membrane materials, perovskite and fluorite-based dual-phase materials. We explain how to quantify and design CO₂ resistant membranes using the Lewis acid-base reaction concept and thermodynamics perspective and highlight the relevant characterization techniques. For perovskite materials, a trade-off generally exists between CO₂ resistance and O₂ permeability. Fluorite materials, despite their inherent CO₂ resistance, typically have low O₂ permeability but this can be improved via different approaches including thin film technology and the recently developed minimum internal electronic short-circuit second phase and external electronic short-circuit decoration. We then elaborate the two main future directions that are centralized around the development of new oxide compositions capable of featuring simultaneously high CO₂ resistance and O₂ permeability and the exploitation of phase reactions to create a new conductive phase along the grain boundaries of dual-phase materials. The final part of the review discusses various complimentary characterization techniques and the relevant studies that can provide insights into the degradation mechanism of oxide-based materials upon exposure to CO₂.

Elucidation of the Oxygen Surface Kinetics in a Coated Dual-Phase Membrane for Enhancing Oxygen Permeation Flux

The dual-phase membrane has received much attention as the solution to the instability of the oxygen permeation membrane. It has been reported that the oxygen flux of the dual-phase membrane is greatly enhanced by the active coating layer. However, there has been little discussion about the enhancement mechanism by surface coating in the dual-phase membrane. This study investigates the oxygen flux of the Ce_0.9Gd_0.1O_2-δ-La_0.7Sr_0.3MnO_3±δ (GDC 80 vol %/LSM 20 vol %) composite membrane depending on the oxygen partial pressure (P_O2) to elucidate the mechanism of enhanced oxygen flux by the surface modification in the fluorite-rich phase dual-phase membrane. The oxygen permeation resistances were obtained from the oxygen flux as a function of P_O2 using the oxygen permeation model. The surface exchange coefficient (k) and the bulk diffusion coefficient (D) were calculated from these resistances. According to the calculated k and D values, we concluded that the active coating layer (La_0.6Sr_0.4CoO_3-δ) significantly increased the k value of the membrane. Furthermore, the surface exchange reaction on the permeate side was more sluggish than that at the feed side under operating conditions (feed: 0.21 atm/permeate side: 4.7 × 10^-4 atm). Therefore, the enhancement of the oxygen surface exchange kinetics at the permeate side is more important in improving the oxygen permeation flux of the thin film-based fluorite-rich dual-phase membrane. These results provide new insight about the function of the surface coating to enhance the oxygen permeation flux of the dual-phase membrane.

Dual-Phase Oxygen Transport Membranes for Stable Operation in Environments Containing Carbon Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide

Dual-phase membranes are appealing candidates for oxygen transport membranes owing to their unique combination of ambipolar electron-ion transport and endurance. However, O2 separation in industrial environments demands very high stability and effectiveness in the presence of CO2- and SO2-bearing process gases. Here, the composition of dual-phase membranes based on NiFe2O4-Ce(0.8) Tb(0.2)O(2-δ) (NFO-CTO) was optimized and the effective performance of catalytically-activated membranes was assessed in presence of CO2 and SO2. Further insight into the limiting mechanisms in the permeation was gained through electrical conductivity studies, permeation testing in several conditions and impedance spectroscopy analysis. The dual-phase membranes were prepared by one-pot sol-gel method and their permeability increases with increasing fluorite content. An O2 flux of 0.25 (ml min(-1)  cm(-2)) mm at 1000 °C was obtained for a thick self-standing membrane with 40:60 NFO/CTO composition. An in-depth study mimicking typical harsh conditions encountered in oxyfuel flue gases was performed on a 50:50 NFO/CTO membrane. CO2 content as well as SO2 presence in the sweep gas stream were evaluated in terms of O2 permeation. O2 fluxes of 0.13 and 0.09 mL min(-1)  cm(-2) at 850 °C were obtained for a 0.59 mm thick membrane under CO2 and 250 ppm SO2 in CO2 sweep conditions, respectively. Extended periods at work under CO2- and SO2-containing atmospheres revealed good permeation stability over time. Additionally, XRD, backscattered electrons detector (BSD)-SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis of the spent membrane confirmed material stability upon prolonged exposure to SO2.

Substantial Oxygen Flux in Dual-Phase Membrane of Ceria and Pure Electronic Conductor by Tailoring the Surface

The oxygen permeation flux of dual-phase membranes, Ce0.9Gd0.1O2-δ-La0.7Sr0.3MnO3±δ (GDC/LSM), has been systematically studied as a function of their LSM content, thickness, and coating material. The electronic percolation threshold of this GDC/LSM membrane occurs at about 20 vol % LSM. The coated LSM20 (80 vol % GDC, 20 vol % LSM) dual-phase membrane exhibits a maximum oxygen flux of 2.2 mL·cm(-2)·min(-1) at 850 °C, indicating that to enhance the oxygen permeation flux, the LSM content should be adjusted to the minimum value at which electronic percolation is maintained. The oxygen ion conductivity of the dual-phase membrane is reliably calculated from oxygen flux data by considering the effects of surface oxygen exchange. Thermal cycling tests confirm the mechanical stability of the membrane. Furthermore, a dual-phase membrane prepared here with a cobalt-free coating remains chemically stable in a CO2 atmosphere at a lower temperature (800 °C) than has previously been achieved.

Ce0.9Gd0.1O2−δ membranes coated with porous Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3−δ for oxygen separation

Robust oxygen ion conducting membranes based on doped ceria oxides can be used as oxygen permeation membranes with a short circuit to provide the required electronic conduction.

A novel CO2-stable dual phase membrane with high oxygen permeability

A good combination of high CO₂ stability and high oxygen permeability is obtained for the novel CP–PSFC dual phase membrane.

Enhancing the oxygen permeability of BaCo(0.7)Fe(0.2)Nb(0.1)O(3-δ) membranes by coating GdBaCo(2-x)Fe(x)O(5+δ) for partial oxidation of coke oven gas to syngas

The dense ceramic membranes BaCo(0.7)Fe(0.2)Nb(0.1)O(3-δ) (BCFN) combined with GdBaCo(2-x)Fe(x)O(5+δ) (0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) surface modification layers was investigated for hydrogen production by partial oxidation reforming of coke oven gas (COG). As oxygen permeation of BCFN membrane is controlled by the rate surface exchange kinetics, the GdBaCo(2-x)Fe(x)O(5+δ) materials improve the oxygen permeation flux of the BCFN membrane by 20-44% under helium atmosphere at 750 °C. The maximum oxygen permeation flux reached 14.4 mL min(-1) cm(-2) in the GdBaCoFeO(5+δ) coated BCFN membrane reactor at 850 °C, and a CH(4) conversion of 94.9%, a H(2) selectivity of 88.9%, and a CO selectivity of 99.6% have been achieved. The GdBaCo(2-x)Fe(x)O(5+δ) coating materials possess uniform porous structure, fast oxygen desorption rate and good compatibility with the membrane, which showed a potential application for the surface modification of the membrane reactor.