Large amounts of hydrogen can be produced using thermochemical processes, such as the Sulfur-Iodide (SI) process for thermo-chemical decomposition of water. The success of the SI processes is dependent on the corrosion properties of the materials of construction. Ceramic materials are required for high temperature decomposition reactors, since the creep and oxidation properties of super-alloy materials remain problematic due to the extreme temperatures (900C) and corrosive environments. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), ceramic based micro-channel decomposer concepts are being developed and tested by Ceramatec, Inc.. In order to assess the viability of ceramic materials, extended high temperature exposure tests have been made to characterize the degradation of the mechanical strength and estimate the recession rates due to corrosion. Corrosion has been investigated in vapour environments and in boiling, liquid-sulfuric acid. The results of these corrosion studies will be presented with additional analysis including surface and depth profiling using high resolution electron microscopy.
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