Development of hydrogen selective separation membrane using radiation induced graft polymerization

Hasegawa, Shin; Koshikawa, Hiroshi; Sawada, Shinichi; Maekawa, Yasunari; Hashimoto, Naoyuki*; Isobe, Shigehito*

For establishing a safe and non-electric power type explosion prevention system with hydrogen storage materials, hydrogen permselective membranes against oxygen and water vapor have been developed. Using a radiation-induced grafting method, 4-trimethoxysilylstyrene (TMSS) and acrylic acid (AAc) monomers were introduced onto porous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) films to obtain TMSS- and AAc-grafted PVDF membranes with grafting degrees of 29 and 24%. The TMSS- and AAc-grafted PVDF membranes showed permeabilities of hydrogen 3.5 and 12 time higher than those of water vapor. The above results indicated that radiation-grafting of porous films should be very effective method to obtain hydrogen permselective membranes.