Pall has landed a $2.4 million grant from the US Department of Energy to develop its palladium-based hydrogen separation membrane technology.

The filtration, separations and purification expert won the funding as part of the US Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, with the ultimate aim of securing the necessary infrastructure to make the "hydrogen economy" possible.

Using its own AccuSep inorganic membranes Pall is able to develop a palladium alloy membrane structure that filters hydrogen atoms, thus creating fuel cell-friendly pure hydrogen.

With the new funding Pall is confident that it can bring this technology to maturity and offer commercial viability for the production of comparatively cheap and high-quality hydrogen.

Bill Palmer, senior vice president of planning and development at Pall, stressed the significance of the funding in a wider context.

"This research effort with our partners will provide an important component in driving the fundamental shift in our nation's energy policies for newer, cleaner and more readily available energy sources.

"AccuSep membranes will be uniquely enabling in producing a cost-effective technical solution," he added.

Pall will work together with ChevronTexaco, the Colorado School of Mines, and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in its development of the membrane system.