Dielectric responses of anisotropic graded granular composites having arbitrary inclusion shapes

The transformation field method (TFM) originated from Eshelby's transformation field theory is developed to estimate the effective permittivity of an anisotropic graded granular composite having inclusions of arbitrary shape and arbitrary anisotropic grading profile. The complicated boundary-value problem of the anisotropic graded composite is solved by introducing an appropriate transformation field within the whole composite region. As an example, the effective dielectric response for an anisotropic graded composite with inclusions having arbitrary geometrical shape and arbitrary grading profile is formulated. The validity of TFM is tested by comparing our results with the exact solution of an isotropic graded composite having inclusions with a power-law dielectric grading profile and good agreement is achieved in the dilute limit. Furthermore, it is found that the inclusion shape and the parameters of the grading profile can have profound effect on the effective permittivity at high concentrations of the inclusions. It is pointed out that TFM used in this paper can be further extended to investigate the effective elastic, thermal, and electroelastic properties of anisotropic graded granular composite materials.

Perovskite-type B-site Bi-doped ceramic membranes for oxygen separation

Novel mixed conducting oxides, B-site Bi-doped perovskites were exploited and synthesized. Cubic perovskite structures were formed for BaBi0.2COyFe0.8-yO3-delta (y less than or equal to 0.4) and BaBixCo0.2Fe0.8-xP3-delta (x=0.1-0.5) The materials exhibited considerable high oxygen permeability at high temperature. The oxygen permeation flux of BaBi0.2Co0.35Fe0.45O3-delta membrane reached about 0.77 x 10(-6) mol/cm(2) s under an air/helium oxygen partial pressure gradient at 900 degrees C, which was much higher than that of other bismuth-contained mixed conducting membranes. The permeation fluxes of the materials increased with the increase of cobalt content, but no apparent simple relationship was found with the bismuth content. The materials also demonstrated excellent reversibility of oxygen adsorption and desorption. Stable time-related oxygen permeation fluxes were found for BaBi0.2CO0.35Fe0.45O3-delta and BaBi0.3Co0.2Fe0.5O3-delta a membranes at 875 degrees C.

Easy fabrication of dense ceramic membrane for oxygen separation

A combined EDTA-citrate complexing method was developed for the easy preparation of mixed oxygen-ionic and electronic conducting dense ceramic membrane for oxygen separation. The nea method takes the advantage of lower calcination temperature for phase formation. lower membrane sintering temperature and higher relative density over the standard ceramic method.

Investigation of ideal zirconium-doped perovskite-type ceramic membrane materials for oxygen separation

Zirconium-doped perovskite-type membrane materials of BaCo0.4Fe0.6-xZrxO3-delta (x = 0-0.4) with mixed oxygen ion and electron conductivity were synthesized through a method of combining citric and EDTA acid complexes. The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD), oxygen temperature-programmed desorption (O-2-TPD) and hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction (H-2-TPR) showed that the incorporation of proper amount of zirconium into BaCo0.4Fe0.6O3-delta could stabilize the ideal and cubic structure of perovskite. Studies on the oxygen permeability of the as-synthesized membrane disks under air/He gradient indicated that the content of zirconium in these materials had great effects on oxygen permeation flux, activation energy for oxygen permeation and operation stability. The high oxygen permeation flux of 0.90 ml cm(-2) min(-1) at 950degreesC, the single activation energy for oxygen permeation in the range of 600-950 degreesC and the long-term operation stability at a relatively lower operational temperature of 800 degreesC under air/He gradient were achieved for the BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.2O3-delta material. Meanwhile, the effect of carbon dioxide on structural stability and oxygen permeability of this material was also studied in detail, which revealed that the reversible stability could be attained for it. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Titanium-based perovskite-type mixed conducting ceramic membranes for oxygen permeation

A titanium-based perovskite-type oxide was synthesized by an improved method of combining EDTA acid and citric acid complexes. High structural stability, good sintering ability, and relatively high oxygen permeation flux were obtained simultaneously for disks synthesized from this ceramic oxide. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.

Performance of a mixed-conducting ceramic membrane reactor with high oxygen permeability for methane conversion

A mixed-conducting perovskite-type Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-delta (BSCFO) ceramic membrane reactor with high oxygen permeability was applied for the activation of methane. The membrane reactor has intrinsic catalytic activities for methane conversion to ethane and ethylene. C-2 selectivity up to 40-70% was achieved, albeit that conversion rate were low, typically 0.5-3.5% at 800-900 degreesC with a 50% helium diluted methane inlet stream at a flow rate of 34 ml/min. Large amount of unreacted molecular oxygen was detected in the eluted gas and the oxygen permeation flux improved only slightly compared with that under non-reactive air/He experiments. The partial oxidation of methane to syngas in a BSCFO membrane reactor was also performed by packing LiLaNiO/gamma -Al2O3 with 10% Ni loading as the catalyst. At the initial stage, oxygen permeation flux, methane conversion and CO selectivity were closely related with the state of the catalyst. Less than 21 h was needed for the oxygen permeation flux to reach its steady state. 98.5% CH4 conversion, 93.0% CO selectivity and 10.45 ml/cm(2) min oxygen permeation flux were achieved under steady state at 850 degreesC. Methane conversion and oxygen permeation flux increased with increasing temperature, No fracture of the membrane reactor was observed during syngas production. However, H-2-TPR investigation demonstrated that the BSCFO was unstable under reducing atmosphere, yet the material was found to have excellent phase reversibility. A membrane reactor made from BSCFO was successfully operated for the POM reaction at 875 degreesC for more than 500h without failure, with a stable oxygen permeation flux of about 11.5 ml/cm(2) min. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Novel porous metal/ceramic membrane materials

During the past 22 months, the preparation and application of novel porous metal/ceramic membrane materials have been extensively explored in the area of membrane science and catalysis. Thus, new preparation methods and new application concepts in membrane catalysis have been developed.