Mixed-conducting oxygen permeable ceramic membranes for the carbon dioxide reforming of methane

Abstract

Due to the high economic, environmental, and safety costs associated with pure oxygen, mixed-conducting oxygen-permeable ceramic membranes are being explored as an alternative oxygen source for hydrocarbon conversion reactors. This work reports a dramatic improvement in catalyst performance when an oxygen-permeable SrFeCo_0.5O_x ceramic membrane is used in conjunction with a conventional powder Pt/ZrO₂ catalyst for the CO₂ reforming of CH₄. Experiments comparing catalyst performance with up to 2% co-fed oxygen to catalyst performance with oxygen from the ceramic membrane demonstrated a conversion three times higher with the membrane than with any amount of co-fed oxygen. The results suggest that membrane oxygen is more beneficial for catalyst activity and stability than molecular gas-phase oxygen.