Thin Pd–40%Cu films were obtained via the classical melting and rolling method, magnetron sputtering, and modified with nanostructured functional coatings to intensify the process of hydrogen transportation. The films were modified by electrodeposition, according to the classical method of obtaining palladium black and “Pd–Au nanoflowers” with spherical and pentagonal particles, respectively. The experiment results demonstrated the highest catalytic activity (89.47 mA cm⁻²), good resistance to CO poisoning and long-term stability of Pd–40%Cu films with a pentagonal structured coating. The investigation of the developed membranes in the hydrogen transport processes in the temperature range of 25–300 °C also demonstrated high and stable fluxes of up to 475.28 mmol s⁻¹ m⁻² (deposited membranes) and 59.41 mmol s⁻¹ m⁻² (dense metal membranes), which were up to 1.5 higher, compared with membrane materials with classic niello. For all-metal modified membranes, the increase in flux was up to sevenfold, compared with a smooth membrane made of pure palladium, and for deposited films, this difference was manyfold. The membrane materials’ selectivity was also high, up to 4419. The developed strategy for modifying membrane materials with functional coatings of a fundamentally new complex geometry can shed new light on the development and fabrication of durable and highly selective palladium-based membranes for gas steam reformers.

A unique method for synthesizing a surface modifier for metallic hydrogen permeable membranes based on non-classic bimetallic pentagonally structured Pd-Pt nanoparticles was developed. It was found that nanoparticles had unique hollow structures. This significantly reduced the cost of their production due to the economical use of metal. According to the results of electrochemical studies, a synthesized bimetallic Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag modifier showed excellent catalytic activity (up to 60.72 mA cm⁻²), long-term stability, and resistance to CO_ads poisoning in the alkaline oxidation reaction of methanol. The membrane with the pentagonally structured Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag modifier showed the highest hydrogen permeation flux density, up to 27.3 mmol s⁻¹ m⁻². The obtained hydrogen flux density was two times higher than that for membranes with a classic Pd_black/Pd-Ag modifier and an order of magnitude higher than that for an unmodified membrane. Since the rate of transcrystalline hydrogen transfer through a membrane increased, while the speed of transfer through defects remained unchanged, a one and a half times rise in selectivity of the developed Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag membranes was recorded, and it amounted to 3514. The achieved results were due to both the synergistic effect of the combination of Pd and Pt metals in the modifier composition and the large number of available catalytically active centers, which were present as a result of non-classic morphology with high-index facets. The specific faceting, defect structure, and unusual properties provide great opportunities for the application of nanoparticles in the areas of membrane reactors, electrocatalysis, and the petrochemical and hydrogen industries.

A synthesis strategy for the manufacture of inexpensive highly efficient nanostructured catalysts has been developed. The developed unique nonplatinoid copper-based catalysts with different surface morphology were investigated as a functional layer with high activity in the ethanol oxidation in alkaline media. A modifying layer with controlled morphology, composition, and excellent electrocatalytic activity was synthesized by electrochemical deposition by varying such synthesis parameters as deposition temperature and time, concentration of structure-forming additives, and electrodeposition current. The dependence of the samples’ electrocatalytic activity on the shaping factors was established. According to the electrochemical study results, the highest current density peak of up to 33.01 mA cm⁻², and hence the highest catalytic activity in comparison to other samples, were possessed by a catalyst with a regular cubic particle shape. A catalyst consisting of plate-like nanoparticles with a certain percentage of disclinations had similar, but slightly less activity, with a current density peak of up to 31.59 mA cm⁻². The samples’ activity values are 8 times higher for cubic particles and 7.5 times higher for particles with a triangular plate shape than for an unmodified smooth copper film. The developed samples can be considered as quite competitive to platinoid catalysts, which significantly outperform copper analogues.

Thin Pd-40%Cu films were obtained by the classical melting and rolling method, magnetron sputtering and modified with nanostructured functional coatings to intensify the process of hydrogen transport. The films were modified by electrodeposition according to the classical method of obtaining palladium black and "Pd-Au nanoflowers" with spherical and pentagonal particles, respectively. The experiment results demonstrated the highest catalytic activity (89.47 mA cm–2), good resistance to CO poisoning and long-term stability of Pd-40%Cu films with a pentagonal structured coating. The investigation of the developed membranes in the hydrogen transport processes in the temperature range of 25-300°C also demonstrated high and stable fluxes up to 475.28 mmol s–1 m–2 (deposited membranes) and 59.41 mmol s–1 m–2 (dense-metal membranes), which turned out to be up to 1.5 higher compared to membrane materials with classic niello. For all-metal modified membranes, the increase in flux was up to 7 times, compared with a smooth membrane made of pure palladium, and for deposited films, this difference was several tens of times. The membrane materials selectivity was also high up to 4419. The developed strategy for modifying membrane materials with functional coatings of a fundamentally new complex geometry can shed new light on the development and fabrication of durable and highly selective palladium-based membranes for gas steam reformers.

A unique method for synthesizing a surface modifier for metallic hydrogen permeable mem-branes based on non-classic bimetallic pentagonally structured Pd-Pt nanoparticles has been de-veloped. It was found that nanoparticles had unique hollow structure. This significantly reduces the cost of their production due to economical use of metal. According to the results of electro-chemical studies, synthesized bimetallic Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag modifier showed excellent catalytic activi-ty (up to 60.72 mA cm–2), long-term stability and resistance to COads poisoning in alkaline oxida-tion reaction of methanol. The membrane with pentagonally structured Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag modifier showed the highest hydrogen permeation flux density up to 27.3 mmol s–1 m–2. Obtained hy-drogen flux density were 2 times higher than that for membranes with classic Pdblack/Pd-Ag modifier and an order of magnitude higher than that for unmodified membrane. Since the rate of transcrystalline hydrogen transfer through a membrane increased, while the speed of transfer through defects remained unchanged, a one and a half times rise in selectivity of the developed Pd-Pt/Pd-Ag membranes was recorded and it amounted to 3514. Achieved results are due to both the synergistic effect of the combination of Pd and Pt metals in the modifier composition and the large number of available catalytically active centers, which are present as a result of non-classic morphology with high-index facets. The specific faceting, defect structure and unusual properties provide great opportunities for the application of nanoparticles in the areas of membrane reac-tors, electrocatalysis, petrochemical and hydrogen industries.

A novel approach for the synthesis of nanostructured catalysts on the surface of Pd23Ag films with high activity is proposed in order to intensify low-temperature (up to 100 °C) hydrogen transport through hydrogen-selective palladium-containing membranes. The developed nanostructured catalyst demonstrates a great increase in catalytic activity of alkaline CH₃OH oxidation reaction, in comparison with palladium black. This is most likely due to an increase in the number of active sites in the material, compared with classical synthesis methods, which enhances the material activity with respect to reactions with H₂. Evaluation of resistance to carbon monoxide poisoning demonstrated the nanocatalyst’s high efficiency. A chronoamperometry confirms the presented catalyst’s continuing stability and activity as well as the applicability as catalysts and membranes.