Oxygen-permeable membrane materials based on solid or liquid Bi2O3

Most important advances of the last years in research and development of oxygen ion transport membrane (ITM) materials based on solid or liquid Bi2O3 are briefly given. Special attention is paid to the transport properties of novel NiO/delta-Bi2O3 and In2O3/delta-Bi2O3 ceramic and ZnO/Bi2O3 solid/liquid composites. These composites show promise for use as ITM with the oxygen permeation rate comparable with that of the state-of-the-art membrane materials. The in situ Bi2O3 melt crystallization and grain boundary wetting methods of formation of the gas-tight composites are considered.