Nanoporous Glass-Ceramics for Gas Separation

Date

2008-12

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New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering.

Abstract

The development of nanoporous gas separation membranes to extract H2 from a mixed fuel stream of CH4/H2O/CO2/CO is desirable for use in methane steam reforming reactions. Ni-containing cordierite glass-ceramics are candidate materials for this application. The final microstructure of these glass-ceramics includes two sieving mechanisms: (1) a 5 Å channel inherent to the cordierite crystal structure which grows normal to the surface of the glass, and (2) a nanoporous non-stoichiometric spinel in the bulk with theoretical pore diameters ranging from 4-8 Å. Through reaction with hydrogen we demonstrate the ability to form nanopores in NixMg1-xAl2O4 spinel. The stability limit for the non-stoichiometric spinel formed during the H2 reaction lies between 0.5_x_0.75. The formation of an equal number of nickel and oxygen vacancies in spinel is determined using Rietveld refinement of X-ray diffraction data and thermogravimetric analysis. These vacant sites form the nanopores in the defect spinel structure.

Description

Advisory committee members: William Carty, Doreen Edwards, William Lacourse. Dissertation completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy in Materials Science and Engineering at the Kazuo Inamori School of Engineering, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University

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