Surface modification of porous metal substrates
AssigneeIntelligent Engery, Inc.
InventorsAnand Chellappa, Charles Call, Michael Powell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for reducing the surface variance of a porous metal substrate. The method does not significantly reduce the bulk porosity. The method can be used to reduce the surface pore diameter. A membrane, can be deposited on the reduced variance surface to form a separation membrane.
Claims27
A separation membrane comprising:
- a metal substrate with pores extending therethrough, with a principal surface having been previously exposed to an ion beam;
- a variance on the principal surface;
- a body region of the porous metal substrate;
- a surface region of the metal substrate extending from the body region to the principal surface;
- and,
- a membrane deposited on the principal surface.
A hydrogen separation membrane comprising:
- a metal substrate with a reduced principal surface variance having been previously exposed to an ion beam:
- pores extending through the porous metal substrate;
- a body region of the porous metal substrate with an average pore size;
- a surface region of the porous metal substrate extending from the principal surface with an average pore size smaller in diameter than the average pore size of the body region pores;
- and,
- a membrane containing at least some palladium deposited on the principal surface, whereby the membrane is permeable to hydrogen.
A separation membrane comprising:
- a metal substrate with pores extending from a primary surface to a second surface, at least one of the primary and second surfaces having been previously exposed to an ion beam, and,
- a membrane deposited on a surface which had previously been exposed to an ion beam.
A porous metal substrate with a reduced variance to receive a membrane comprising:
- a metal substrate that has been previously exposed to an ion beam, with pores extending therethrough;
- and,
- a principal surface with a variance which has been reduced by the exposure to the ion beam.
A method for preparing the surface of a porous metallic substrate with a surface region and a body region for membrane deposition the method comprising exposing a porous metal substrate to an ion beam.
A method for preparing the surface of a metallic substrate to receive a membrane, the method comprising:
- exposing a metal substrate with a principal surface and a variance to an ion beam;
- and, reducing the variance by exposing the metal substrate to the ion beam.
A method for producing a separation membrane, the method comprising:
- exposing at least one surface of a metal substrate with a variance on the surface to an ion beam;
- reducing the surface variance by the exposure to the ion beam;
- depositing a separation membrane on the surface with the reduced variance;
- and
- exposing the deposited separation membrane to an ion beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.