Jack Picciolo shows the Argonne-developed ceramic membrane material for hydrogen production. It is so dense that only electrons and individual ions can pass through it.

Ceramic membrane extracts hydrogen

If hydrogen fuel cells are ever to replace gasoline engines in cars, they will need a cheap source of highly pure hydrogen—and Argonne technology could provide one.

A team of ceramics experts in Argonne’s Energy Technology Division has developed a ceramic membrane that can extract hydrogen from methane, the chief component of natural gas.

Using hydrogen to power cars and factories would minimize the nation’s reliance on foreign oil because the United States has abundant natural gas resources. And, since hydrogen produces only water vapor when it burns, the environment would benefit as well.

Until now the process of obtaining hydrogen from natural gas has been difficult. 

But by passing methane through a ceramic membrane, the ceramics team lead by Balu Balachandran can extract highly pure hydrogen from methane. Such high purity is necessary if hydrogen fuel cells—one of the most promising technologies that harness hydrogen—are ever to become economical.

“Ceramic membranes make possible the widespread use of hydrogen,” Balachandran said. “Just as conventional cars need gas stations, fuel cells will need an infrastructure to support them. Ceramic membranes could eliminate the need for costly refineries—they are small enough and efficient enough to have one at every gas station.”

The membrane material is so dense that only electrons and individual ions can pass through it, which is why it produces such pure hydrogen.

According to Balachandran, the same technology could produce other chemicals necessary for synthetic fuels and fertilizer.

Ceramic membranes could be a key development for the Department of Energy’s “Vision 21” program, which seeks to develop highly efficient power technologies that discharge no pollutants.

DOE funds the research through its National Engineering Technology Lab.

Industry has also partnered with Balachandran’s team. The group currently has cooperative research and development agreements with two Colorado companies, ITN Energy Systems of Littleton and Eltron Research of Boulder.

Balachandran is pleased with the ceramic membranes’ prospects, though he emphasizes that the technology is still in its infancy.

“We have proven that this can work in principle,” he said. “But we need to meet several engineering challenges, such as scaling up the system and integrating it into existing systems in power plants, to develop ceramic membranes for the marketplace. If we can meet those challenges, we could see the technology on the market within five to six years.”

For more information, please contact Evelyn Brown.

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