Supported Palladium Membrane Recycling via Hydrogen Delamination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recycling supported Pd membranes are costly, environmentally harmful, and damage the support material, limiting their reuse, especially when using strong acids and oxidizing agents, and are not suitable for all types of supports.
Innovation Solution
A process involving contacting the supported Pd membrane with hydrogen at specific pressures and temperatures to form palladium hydride, causing embrittlement and detachment of the Pd layer from the support without using corrosive chemicals, allowing for the separate recycling and reuse of both the support and Pd layer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If strong acids and oxidizing agents are used to separate Pd layer from support, then Pd recovery is achieved, but the support is damaged and cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The process separates the Pd layer from the support through controlled embrittlement and delamination, dividing the membrane into distinct recoverable components without requiring aggressive chemical treatment that would damage the support structure
Solution Approach 2:
The method changes the physical and chemical parameters of the Pd layer by controlling hydrogen absorption and temperature cycles, inducing embrittlement and facilitating separation without using strong acids or oxidizing agents that would compromise support integrity
2Loss of substance
If concentrated acids or bases are used for Pd membrane recycling, then Pd extraction is effective, but porous ceramic supports are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The process replaces chemical extraction methods with a physical-chemical mechanism involving hydrogen absorption, embrittlement, and controlled delamination, eliminating the need for concentrated acids or bases that would harm porous ceramic supports
Solution Approach 2:
Hydrogen acts as an intermediary substance that facilitates Pd layer separation through embrittlement without directly contacting and damaging the support, enabling gentle separation that preserves support integrity for reuse
3Strength
If epoxy resin protection is applied to steel substrate before leaching, then support integrity is preserved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The Pd layer itself serves as the protective element during separation through controlled embrittlement, eliminating the need for external protective coatings like epoxy resin and reducing process complexity while preserving support integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process effectively recycles and reuses both the support and Pd layer without chemical damage, making it environmentally friendly and applicable to various support materials, reducing costs and improving hydrogen permeation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the supported Pd membrane with hydrogen at low temperature to form Pd hydride
Implementation Method 2
The Pd layer separated from the support can be recycled by solubilizing the components of the Pd layer
Data Source
AI summary
A process for recycling and reusing supported Pd membranes includes the separation of the Pd (or Pd alloy) layer from the support by contacting the Pd membrane with hydrogen under pressure and at low temperature and then with a second gas that is different from hydrogen. The Pd layer separated from the support can then be treated to solubilize the Pd and, where appropriate, the alloy metal(s) to obtain salts that can be reused, for example in the preparation of new Pd membranes. The recovered supports are also reusable.