High-Temperature Hydrogen Permeability Tests of Ta Tubes

Refractory metals are being studied as alternatives to Pd and its alloys for the separation of hydrogen in high-temperature processes. The development of a membrane reactor for the production of hydrogen via water splitting has required studying hydrogen permeability through Ta at temperatures above 1273 K, for which no data is available in the literature. A dedicated experimental setup has been realized for testing Ta tubes in the temperature range 673–1573 K. Despite the use of controlled atmospheres and ultra-pure gases (with oxygen content below a few ppm), the tests over 1473 K have involved the formation of oxide layers over the metal surfaces, as verified by SEM-EDS analyses. The presence of oxide layers significantly increases the energy barrier to permeation: in agreement with a modest surface oxidation, at lower temperatures (673–1273 K) the activation energy of 2679.8 K has been measured against the value of 30,691 K measured in the high-temperature tests (1473–1573 K).