Ceramic membranes – potential uses for solid state protonic conductors

Abstract Using different wet-ceramic processes and ceramic membrane technology we have prepared various thin or thick ceramic membrane materials. The thin film ceramic membranes, prepared using the gel–solution process, have different material characteristics compared with the bulk materials, for example, higher ionic conductivity in the film plane than in the perpendicular direction. A very sensitive humidity dependence of the conductivity has been observed in the thin film ceramic membranes. Therefore, these membrane materials have a potential use for constructing new types of proton conducting electrolyte fuel cells and hydrogen or humidity sensors.