(566c) Resistance to Corrosion of Silicon-Based Ceramic Materials in Sulfuric Acid Containing Environments for Hydrogen Production

The Sulfur-Iodide (SI) process generates hydrogen through the thermo-chemical decomposition of water. This high temperature processes is dependent on the corrosion properties of the materials of construction. Creep and oxidation properties of superalloys limit their maximum use temperature to 8-900C despite the ability to manufacture reactors and heat exchangers from them using traditional metallurgical fabrication methods. Ceramic materials are not only capable of operating at elevated temperatures that are compatible with high-temperature reactors but they also have excellent corrosion resistance. Therefore, in cooperation with the DOE, Idaho National Laboratory, and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Ceramatec, Inc. is developing and testing ceramic based micro-channel decomposer components. In order to assess the viability of ceramic materials, extended high temperature exposure tests, in gaseous and liquid environments, have been made to characterize the corrosion behavior of silicon-based ceramic materials. Results from weight change measurements, strength measurements, surface analysis, and electron microscopy will be presented.