(US5965010-A)      Composite membrane layer suitable for use in an electrochemical autothermal reformer comprises: (a) a support with predetermined porosity which enables selective diffusion of reformed fuel component (hydrogen) to the composite membrane layer; (b) a gas permeable substrate layer overlaying the support; (c) a first catalyst layer which promotes the dissociation of hydrogen to protons and electrons overlaying the substrate layer; (d) an oxide layer selected from proton and electron conductors (mixed ion conductors) which is capable of conducting protons and electrons at elevated temperatures overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second catalyst layer which promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to hydrogen overlaying the oxide layer. A hydrogen forming and extraction process involves: (A) conducting in a hydrogen production zone, a chemical reaction forming mixed gases of molecular hydrogen and other reaction products; (B) contacting one side of a composite membrane layer with the gases; (C) dissociating molecular hydrogen to ionic or protonic hydrogen and associated electrons on the one side of the membrane layer, passing the ionic hydrogen through the membrane layer and recombining there with associated electrons to form molecular hydrogen; and (D) withdrawing hydrogen from another side of the membrane layer thus removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone.    Preferably the composite membrane comprises: (a) a stable porous ceramic support; (b) a gas permeable ceramic substrate preferably alumina; (c) a first particulate metallic catalyst layer preferably of platinum; (d) a non-gas-permeable metal oxide layer overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second particulate metallic catalyst layer overlaying the metal oxide preferably of platinum. The platinum is in the form of discrete particles. The composite membrane layer includes tungsten oxide as a mixed ion layer sandwiched between two catalyst layers of particulate platinum, the tungsten oxide layer being 760 nm thickness. The membrane layer has a mechanical support selected from perforated metal, expanded metal, porous metal and/or porous ceramic, preferably porous ceramic. The hydrogen production zone is at 800-1400 F. The hydrogen forming and extraction process is steam/methane reforming.    USE -   For use in electrochemical autoreforming, fuel reforming or hydrogen forming and extraction.    ADVANTAGE -   The membrane layer is reliable and efficient and promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen.    (US5993619-A)      Composite membrane layer suitable for use in an electrochemical autothermal reformer comprises: (a) a support with predetermined porosity which enables selective diffusion of reformed fuel component (hydrogen) to the composite membrane layer; (b) a gas permeable substrate layer overlaying the support; (c) a first catalyst layer which promotes the dissociation of hydrogen to protons and electrons overlaying the substrate layer; (d) an oxide layer selected from proton and electron conductors (mixed ion conductors) which is capable of conducting protons and electrons at elevated temperatures overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second catalyst layer which promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to hydrogen overlaying the oxide layer. A hydrogen forming and extraction process involves: (A) conducting in a hydrogen production zone, a chemical reaction forming mixed gases of molecular hydrogen and other reaction products; (B) contacting one side of a composite membrane layer with the gases; (C) dissociating molecular hydrogen to ionic or protonic hydrogen and associated electrons on the one side of the membrane layer, passing the ionic hydrogen through the membrane layer and recombining there with associated electrons to form molecular hydrogen; and (D) withdrawing hydrogen from another side of the membrane layer thus removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone.    Preferably the composite membrane comprises: (a) a stable porous ceramic support; (b) a gas permeable ceramic substrate preferably alumina; (c) a first particulate metallic catalyst layer preferably of platinum; (d) a non-gas-permeable metal oxide layer overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second particulate metallic catalyst layer overlaying the metal oxide preferably of platinum. The platinum is in the form of discrete particles. The composite membrane layer includes tungsten oxide as a mixed ion layer sandwiched between two catalyst layers of particulate platinum, the tungsten oxide layer being 760 nm thickness. The membrane layer has a mechanical support selected from perforated metal, expanded metal, porous metal and/or porous ceramic, preferably porous ceramic. The hydrogen production zone is at 800-1400 F. The hydrogen forming and extraction process is steam/methane reforming.    USE -   For use in electrochemical autoreforming, fuel reforming or hydrogen forming and extraction.    ADVANTAGE -   The membrane layer is reliable and efficient and promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen.    (EP998598-A1)      Composite membrane layer suitable for use in an electrochemical autothermal reformer comprises: (a) a support with predetermined porosity which enables selective diffusion of reformed fuel component (hydrogen) to the composite membrane layer; (b) a gas permeable substrate layer overlaying the support; (c) a first catalyst layer which promotes the dissociation of hydrogen to protons and electrons overlaying the substrate layer; (d) an oxide layer selected from proton and electron conductors (mixed ion conductors) which is capable of conducting protons and electrons at elevated temperatures overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second catalyst layer which promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to hydrogen overlaying the oxide layer. A hydrogen forming and extraction process involves: (A) conducting in a hydrogen production zone, a chemical reaction forming mixed gases of molecular hydrogen and other reaction products; (B) contacting one side of a composite membrane layer with the gases; (C) dissociating molecular hydrogen to ionic or protonic hydrogen and associated electrons on the one side of the membrane layer, passing the ionic hydrogen through the membrane layer and recombining there with associated electrons to form molecular hydrogen; and (D) withdrawing hydrogen from another side of the membrane layer thus removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone.    Preferably the composite membrane comprises: (a) a stable porous ceramic support; (b) a gas permeable ceramic substrate preferably alumina; (c) a first particulate metallic catalyst layer preferably of platinum; (d) a non-gas-permeable metal oxide layer overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second particulate metallic catalyst layer overlaying the metal oxide preferably of platinum. The platinum is in the form of discrete particles. The composite membrane layer includes tungsten oxide as a mixed ion layer sandwiched between two catalyst layers of particulate platinum, the tungsten oxide layer being 760 nm thickness. The membrane layer has a mechanical support selected from perforated metal, expanded metal, porous metal and/or porous ceramic, preferably porous ceramic. The hydrogen production zone is at 800-1400 F. The hydrogen forming and extraction process is steam/methane reforming.    USE -   For use in electrochemical autoreforming, fuel reforming or hydrogen forming and extraction.    ADVANTAGE -   The membrane layer is reliable and efficient and promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen.    (US6143159-A)      Composite membrane layer suitable for use in an electrochemical autothermal reformer comprises: (a) a support with predetermined porosity which enables selective diffusion of reformed fuel component (hydrogen) to the composite membrane layer; (b) a gas permeable substrate layer overlaying the support; (c) a first catalyst layer which promotes the dissociation of hydrogen to protons and electrons overlaying the substrate layer; (d) an oxide layer selected from proton and electron conductors (mixed ion conductors) which is capable of conducting protons and electrons at elevated temperatures overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second catalyst layer which promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to hydrogen overlaying the oxide layer. A hydrogen forming and extraction process involves: (A) conducting in a hydrogen production zone, a chemical reaction forming mixed gases of molecular hydrogen and other reaction products; (B) contacting one side of a composite membrane layer with the gases; (C) dissociating molecular hydrogen to ionic or protonic hydrogen and associated electrons on the one side of the membrane layer, passing the ionic hydrogen through the membrane layer and recombining there with associated electrons to form molecular hydrogen; and (D) withdrawing hydrogen from another side of the membrane layer thus removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone.    Preferably the composite membrane comprises: (a) a stable porous ceramic support; (b) a gas permeable ceramic substrate preferably alumina; (c) a first particulate metallic catalyst layer preferably of platinum; (d) a non-gas-permeable metal oxide layer overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second particulate metallic catalyst layer overlaying the metal oxide preferably of platinum. The platinum is in the form of discrete particles. The composite membrane layer includes tungsten oxide as a mixed ion layer sandwiched between two catalyst layers of particulate platinum, the tungsten oxide layer being 760 nm thickness. The membrane layer has a mechanical support selected from perforated metal, expanded metal, porous metal and/or porous ceramic, preferably porous ceramic. The hydrogen production zone is at 800-1400 F. The hydrogen forming and extraction process is steam/methane reforming.    USE -   For use in electrochemical autoreforming, fuel reforming or hydrogen forming and extraction.    ADVANTAGE -   The membrane layer is reliable and efficient and promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen.    (CN1264434-A)      Composite membrane layer suitable for use in an electrochemical autothermal reformer comprises: (a) a support with predetermined porosity which enables selective diffusion of reformed fuel component (hydrogen) to the composite membrane layer; (b) a gas permeable substrate layer overlaying the support; (c) a first catalyst layer which promotes the dissociation of hydrogen to protons and electrons overlaying the substrate layer; (d) an oxide layer selected from proton and electron conductors (mixed ion conductors) which is capable of conducting protons and electrons at elevated temperatures overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second catalyst layer which promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to hydrogen overlaying the oxide layer. A hydrogen forming and extraction process involves: (A) conducting in a hydrogen production zone, a chemical reaction forming mixed gases of molecular hydrogen and other reaction products; (B) contacting one side of a composite membrane layer with the gases; (C) dissociating molecular hydrogen to ionic or protonic hydrogen and associated electrons on the one side of the membrane layer, passing the ionic hydrogen through the membrane layer and recombining there with associated electrons to form molecular hydrogen; and (D) withdrawing hydrogen from another side of the membrane layer thus removing hydrogen from the hydrogen production zone.    Preferably the composite membrane comprises: (a) a stable porous ceramic support; (b) a gas permeable ceramic substrate preferably alumina; (c) a first particulate metallic catalyst layer preferably of platinum; (d) a non-gas-permeable metal oxide layer overlaying the first catalyst layer; and (e) a second particulate metallic catalyst layer overlaying the metal oxide preferably of platinum. The platinum is in the form of discrete particles. The composite membrane layer includes tungsten oxide as a mixed ion layer sandwiched between two catalyst layers of particulate platinum, the tungsten oxide layer being 760 nm thickness. The membrane layer has a mechanical support selected from perforated metal, expanded metal, porous metal and/or porous ceramic, preferably porous ceramic. The hydrogen production zone is at 800-1400 F. The hydrogen forming and extraction process is steam/methane reforming.    USE -   For use in electrochemical autoreforming, fuel reforming or hydrogen forming and extraction.    ADVANTAGE -   The membrane layer is reliable and efficient and promotes the recombination of protons and electrons to molecular hydrogen.