Hydrogen separation membrane and process for producing the same

Abstract

A hydrogen permeation membrane exhibiting excellent hydrogen permeability and hydrogen embrittlement resistance, and a process for producing the same. This membrane is constituted of a niobium alloy foil having an amorphous crystal structure, the niobium alloy foil comprising 5 to 65 atomic % of at least one member selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co and Mo as a first additive element and 0.1 to 60 atomic % of at least one member selected from the group consisting of V, Ti, Zr, Ta and Hf as a second additive element together with the balance of Nb as an indispensable constituent element wherein 0.01 to 20 atomic % of Al and / or Cu may be contained as a third additive element. This alloy foil can be produced through a process comprising preparing a metal mixture of the above formulation, heating the metal mixture to the melting point or higher in an inert gas so as to melt the same and forming the melt into a film (foil) according to a liquid quenching technique.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a metal foil (niobium alloy foil) and a production method of the metal foil, the metal foil can be used as a hydrogen permeable membrane for a hydrogen refining unit, and the hydrogen refining unit is used for fuel Batteries and for fields related to semiconductors. Background technique [0002] In recent years, as a measure against global warming, practical application of a hydrogen refining unit and a fuel cell utilizing the hydrogen refining unit, and their distribution have been required. Such a hydrogen refining unit has first and second chambers, wherein the first chamber is separated from the second chamber by a membrane. Thus, when a gas containing hydrogen flows into the first chamber, the membrane acts to collect the hydrogen-rich gas in the second chamber while retaining the gas containing impurities such as CO and CO in the first chamber. 2 ) gas in this way is essentially permeable to hydrogen. For this reason, ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

In addition, vanadium alloy foils and niobium alloy foils formed by rolling have low ductility and lack of workability and durability

[0006] Here, for niobium alloy foils, it is known to add Ta, Co, Mo, Ni, etc. in order to improve resistance to hydrogen embrittlement (see, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication 2000-159,503), but problems arise in the case of Ni , for example, in the production of niobium alloy foils according to the cold rolling method, when the ratio of Ni to niobium exceeds 10% to 20% by weight, the hydrogen permeability is significantly reduced

Images