Catalytic inorganic membrane reactors: present research and future prospects

The integration of reaction and separation in catalytic membrane reactors is gaining much attention in both academic and industrial research due to its huge potential for a wide range of chemical reaction applications. The use of inorganic membranes in catalytic membrane reactors is being widely considered because the chemical reactions to be carried out in such reactors are normally conducted in harsh conditions concerning both temperature and the chemical environment. There are a number of chemical processes being employed using catalytic membrane reactors, such as dehydrogenation, water-gas shift reaction, methane steam reforming, partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas, and oxidative coupling of methane to C-2 hydrocarbons. All these processes are evaluated and discussed in this article. The future prospects of catalytic membrane reactors are also presented.