Materials Research (Jan 2004)
Comparison of two different synthesis methods of perovskites, SrCo0.5FeO3 type, aiming at evaluating their use as membranes for partial oxidation of methane
Abstract
In this work two different synthesis methods of perovskites, SrCo0.5FeO3, were compared: combustion synthesis and oxides mixture aiming at evaluating their use as membranes for partial oxidation of methane. The combustion synthesis method explores an exothermic, generally very fast and self-sustaining chemical reaction between the desired metal salts and a suitable organic fuel, which is ignited at a temperature much lower than the actual phase formation temperature. The oxides mixture are based on a physical mixture of the powder oxides followed by calcination to obtain the desired phase. In order to obtain the membranes, we studied the conformation of bodies and the temperatures of sintering in the two powders synthesized. The powders were analyzed by density and grain size distribution and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After conformation, in cylindrical form, the green bodies were analyzed by density. After sintering at 1150 °C, the membranes were analyzed by density and they were characterized by XRD and SEM. The powder obtained by combustion synthesis shows lower density and fine grains than the other obtained by oxides mixture. The membranes obtained present very different morphology depending on the precursor powder synthesis. The sintered membranes obtained by combustion method also present a very uniform morphology without segregation.
