Sulfur-resistant MoO2/TS-1 zeolite armored PdCu alloy composite membrane for hydrogen separation under H2S containing steam

Sulfur poisoning could result in fast deterioration of Pd-based membranes by the formation of metal sulfides and reduction of hydrogen purity. The introduction of an MoO₂/TS-1 layer could provide an effective protection of the Pd layer. Therefore, in this paper a synthetic method is presented for preparation of sulfur-resistant MoO₂/TS-1 zeolite modified PdCu alloy composite membranes and their application in hydrogen separation under H₂S containing steam. According to the stability test results, the MoO₂/TS-1 zeolite armored layer obviously prolonged the stability of Pd based membrane. After 50 h stability test with 100 ppm H₂S, there were no obvious structural changes and metal sulfide formation detected in the PdCu bulk from SEM images and XRD patterns, indicating that MoO₂/TS-1 armor structure was good enough for protecting the PdCu alloy bulk.