Zr0.84Y0.16O1.92 –La0.8Sr0.2Cr0.5Fe0.5O3−δ composite membrane for CO2 decomposition

Zr0.84Y0.16O1.92 (YSZ)–La0.8Sr0.2Cr0.5Fe0.5O3−δ (LSCF) disk composite membrane is investigated under CO2/CO gradient at 800–900 °C. It reveals that the composite has excellent stability and appreciable oxygen permeability under the operation conditions. The oxygen permeation flux is 0.033 ml cm−2 min−1 for the disk membrane with a thickness of 0.5 mm at 900 °C. For all the samples with the thickness of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm, the oxygen permeation is controlled simultaneously by bulk oxygen diffusion and surface exchange, and the apparent activation energy decreased with the decreasing thickness . It is possibly explained as that the CO2/CO atmosphere differently affects the chemical defects of the membranes with different thicknesses.

► Composite membrane of Zr0.84Y0.16O1.92 (YSZ)–La0.8Sr0.2Cr0.5Fe0.5O3−δ (LSCF) was investigated under CO2/CO gradient at 800–900 °C.
► The membrane shows excellent stability and acceptable oxygen permeability under CO2/CO gradient.
► The activity energy for oxygen permeation decreased with membrane thickness.
► YSZ–LSCF composite membrane is potential in application for the system relative with CO2 and CO.