The Second International Conference "Platinum Metals In Modern Industry, Hydrogen Energy and Life Maintenance In The Future Berlin–PM’2006" (Berlin-Germany, September 2006) discussed in full measure novel key role of platinum metals in the development of the world hydrogen economy. Up to the 2010 there will be demanded ~20 tons of platinum for the world industry of vehicles on fuel cells. In the prospect platinum demands will grow up to 180–200 tons per year and will initiate crisis of the world platinum metals market.
Palladium is the second platinum metal by its importance for hydrogen technologies. Palladium membrane technology is the only to produce high pure hydrogen for some industries: semi-conductors, metallurgy, medicine, food; to produce high pure hydrogen isotopes for fusion reactors; for separation of hydrogen containing gases of chemical and oil industries; for nowadays and future hydrogen energy technologies. For these purposes there are used alloys: PdAg23, alloy B-1 (Pd, Ag, Au, Pt, Ru, Al) and alloy B-2 (Pd, Ag, In, Y). Fundamentals of hydrogen palladium membrane technology are summarized and discussed in the report.
In the near future platinum metals will be "a narrow neck" of hydrogen economy commercialization.
Keywords: Hydrogen economy; Platinum; Palladium; Membrane technology