Ceramic material as membrane

A central component of a solid oxide fuel cell is the electrolyte which consists of an oxygen ion conducting ceramic material. Such ion conducting materials can also be used for membranes. The membrane route has some environmental advantages and has the potential of becoming cost competitive with the existing industrial routes. A specific use of such mixed conducting membranes is in a membrane reactor for production of synthesis gas which is a mixture of CO and H2, which is the source for a number of industrially important syntheses such as methanol and ammonia and has potential use as electrode materials for solid oxide fuel cells. Presently available membranes based on palladium support a high flux of hydrogen, but their mechanical stability is limited and their catalytic properties favor the formation of coke.