CERAMIC ION CONDUCTING MEMBRANES

Ceramic ion conducting membranes are a generic group of materials with many potential large-scale applications in solid oxide fuel cells, ox ygen generators and partial oxidation reactors. At present the transpo rt and surface exchange kinetic characteristics are emphasized to maxi mize ionic fluxes. However, as the dense membrane is often fabricated in the form of a thick film on a supported porous structure there is a n increasing realization that the available processing routes and ther momechanical behaviour will also strongly influence the selection of m aterials. Accordingly, increasing attention is now being given to the effect of the imposed chemical potential gradient upon thermochemical stability and structural integrity. (C) Current Chemistry Ltd