Magnetron sputtering deposition of Mo2N catalytic films on vanadium foils for high temperature hydrogen separation

Abstract

The present study evaluated the possibility that the molybdenum nitrides serve as H2 dissociation catalyst in the application of high temperature membrane. Mo2N films were prepared on vanadium (V) substrates using reactive magnetron sputtering (RMS). The structure and properties of Mo2N/V hydrogen permeable membranes were investigated. It is found that the substrate bias during RMS has a great influence on the catalytic activity of Mo2N, thereby affecting the hydrogen permeability of Mo2N/V. With a moderate substrate bias during RMS, the resulted Mo2N/V membranes exhibit a hydrogen permeability of 5.73 × 10-8 mol H2 m-1 s-1 Pa-0.5 at 650 °C, approximately ∼1.9 times that of Pd. The Mo2N/V membranes also exhibit high stability during a continuous hydrogen permeation operation for 30 h. This work demonstrates that Mo2N/V exhibits high potential to replace Pd for high temperature hydrogen permeation.