# US 7,744,990 B2 · Thin film support substrate for use in hydrogen production filter and production method of hydrogen production filter

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- Number: US 7,744,990 B2
- Document ID: US7744990B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/124,240
- Filed: 2008-05-21
- Published: 2008-09-25
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2002-07-25
- Assignees: Dai Nippon Insatsu Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Hiroshi Yagi; Takanori Maeda; Yoshinori Oota; Yasuhiro Uchida
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7744990B2

## CPC

- B01D 67/0069: {by deposition from the liquid phase, e.g. electrochemical deposition (B01D67/0046 takes precedence)}
- B01D 53/228: {characterised by specific membranes}
- B01D 67/006: {by elimination of segments of the precursor, e.g. nucleation-track membranes, lithography or laser methods}
- B01D 67/0072: {by deposition from the gaseous phase, e.g. sputtering, CVD, PVD}
- B01D 69/108: {Inorganic support material}
- B01D 71/022: {Metals}
- C01B 3/505: Membranes containing palladium
- C23F 1/02: Local etching
- C23F 1/04: Chemical milling
- C23F 1/28: for etching iron group metals
- C23F 1/34: for etching copper or alloys thereof
- C23F 1/44: Compositions for etching metallic material from a metallic material substrate of different composition
- C25D 1/08: Perforated or foraminous objects, e.g. sieves (C25D1/10 takes precedence)
- C25D 1/10: Moulds; Masks; Masterforms
- C25D 5/022: {using masking means}
- H01M 8/0662: Treatment of gaseous reactants or gaseous residues, e.g. cleaning
- B01D 2325/0212: Symmetric or isoporous membranes
- C01B 2203/0405: Purification by membrane separation
- C01B 2203/041: In-situ membrane purification during hydrogen production
- C01B 2203/047: the impurity being carbon monoxide
- H01M 8/0618: {Reforming processes, e.g. autothermal, partial oxidation or steam reforming}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y10T 428/12201: Width or thickness variation or marginal cuts repeating longitudinally
- Y10T 428/12361: having aperture or cut
- Y10T 428/12417: Intersecting corrugating or dimples not in a single line [e.g., waffle form, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12479: Porous [e.g., foamed, spongy, cracked, etc.]
- Y10T 428/12951: Fe-base component
- Y10T 428/24273: including aperture
- Y10T 428/249953: Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

In a through hole closing process, a metal plate is attached to one surface of a conductive base member having a plurality of through holes by the use of a magnet, in a copper plating process, a copper plating layer is formed on the conductive base member and the metal plate exposed within the through holes, from the side of the conductive base member where the metal plate is not attached, thereby to fill up the through holes, in a film forming process, a Pd alloy film is formed by plating on the surface of the conductive base member after removal of the metal plate, and in a removal process, the copper plating layer is removed by selective etching, thereby to produce a hydrogen production filter that is used in a reformer of a fuel cell so as to be capable of stably producing high purity hydrogen gas.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thin film support substrate for use in a hydrogen production filter, comprising
a metal substrate,
a plurality of columnar convex portions formed on one surface of said metal substrate, and
a plurality of through holes formed at a portion where said columnar convex portions are not formed, so as to pierce the metal substrate,
wherein an area of the columnar convex portion non-formed portion occupying on the columnar convex portion formed side is within the range of 20 to 90%, and,
wherein said columnar convex portions have a diameter within the range of 20 to 500 μm, a formation pitch within the range of 40 to 700 μm, and a height within the range of 10 to 200 μm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 1, wherein said through hole has an opening diameter within the range of 20 to 200 μm.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 2, wherein said metal substrate is an austenite or ferrite stainless substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 3, wherein said columnar convex portions are formed by half-etching said metal substrate, and said through holes are formed by etching said metal substrate from both surfaces.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 2, wherein said columnar convex portions are formed by half-etching said metal substrate, and said through holes are formed by etching said metal substrate from both surfaces.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 1, wherein said metal substrate is an austenite or ferrite stainless substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 6, wherein said columnar convex portions are formed by half-etching said metal substrate, and said through holes are formed by etching said metal substrate from both surfaces.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A thin film support substrate according to claim 1, wherein said columnar convex portions are formed by half-etching said metal substrate, and said through holes are formed by etching said metal substrate from both surfaces.