CATALYSIS WITH HOMOGENEOUS MEMBRANES LOADED WITH NANOSCALE METALLIC CLUSTERS AND THEIR PREPARATION

Catalytically powerful, non-porous membranes were manufactured from tw o highly gas permeable poly(amide imides) consisting of structures wit h moieties of 3,3'-dimethylnaphthidine and hexafluoroisopropylidene (6 F) or hexafluoroisopropylidene-2,2-bis( phthalic acid anhydride) (6FDA ) and 6F. The catalysts are pure precious metals or precious metal all oys dispersed on a nanoscale uniformly throughout the membrane. The me mbranes are characterized by electron microscopy, gas permeability, hy drogen uptake and, as a model reaction, the decomposition of nitrous o xide by hydrogen to nitrogen and water catalyzed by Pd/Ag. The permean ce to hydrogen and nitrous oxide is round 2.10(-6) cm(3) (STP)/cm(2) . s . cmHg for membranes of 40-50 mu m in thickness.