Fabrication of a graded pore-sized porous FeAl intermetallic membrane

Abstract

Micro-porous FeAl membranes were prepared directly onto a macro-porous FeAl support through brushing and reactive synthesis using Fe and Al elemental powders with different particle sizes. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and pore structure testing were used to study the phase composition, interfacial microstructure and pore structure of the resulting graded pore-sized FeAl membrane. The effects of membrane thickness on permeability and maximum pore size were also investigated. Results showed that a metallurgically strong joint is formed between the membrane and support and that no cracks and defects may be found on the interface due to the elemental reactions, penetrating of coated powders into the pores of the support and the match of the thermal expansion coefficients between membrane and support. Membrane permeability decreased from 84.2 to 38.5 m³m⁻²kPa⁻¹h⁻¹ and the maximum pore size of about 2.5 μm showed a slight change as the membrane thickness increased from 135.5 to 299.1 μm.

Keywords:

• Graded pore-sized
• Porous FeAl
• Membrane
• Permeability
• Reactive synthesis

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51404301].