CATALYSIS WITH HOMOGENEOUS MEMBRANES LOADED WITH NANOSCALE METALLIC CLUSTERS AND THEIR PREPARATION

Catalytically powerful, non-porous membranes were manufactured from two highly gas permeable poly(amide imides) consisting of structures with moieties of 3,3'-dimethylnaphthidine and hexafluoroisopropylidene (6F) or hexafluoroisopropylidene-2,2-bis( phthalic acid anhydride) (6FDA) and 6F. The catalysts are pure precious metals or precious metal alloys dispersed on a nanoscale uniformly throughout the membrane. The membranes are characterized by electron microscopy, gas permeability, hydrogen uptake and, as a model reaction, the decomposition of nitrous oxide by hydrogen to nitrogen and water catalyzed by Pd/Ag. The permeance to hydrogen and nitrous oxide is round 2.10(-6) cm(3) (STP)/cm(2) . s . cmHg for membranes of 40-50 mu m in thickness.