Carbon dioxide permeable membrane

1. A carbon dioxide permeable membrane, said membrane comprising:

a body having a first side and an opposite second side;

a plurality of first regions formed from a carbonate, wherein said plurality of first regions are configured to conduct carbonate ions;

a plurality of second regions formed from an oxygen conductive solid oxide, wherein said plurality of second regions are configured to conduct oxide ions and separate carbon dioxide from other gaseous molecules and said plurality of second regions are surface treated with a catalyst that promotes transfer of oxide ions from said plurality of second regions to said plurality of first regions when separating carbon dioxide; and

wherein said body is configured to allow carbon dioxide to pass from said first side to said second side.

2. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said carbonate is at least partially molten when above a temperature of about 400 degrees Celsius.

3. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of first regions forming a portion of said body and said plurality of first regions extending from said first side of said body to said second side of said body.

4. The membrane according to claim 3 , wherein said plurality of second regions combine with said plurality of first regions to form said body and said plurality of second regions extending from said first side of said body to said second side of said body.

5. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said body is configured so that a partial pressure difference of carbon dioxide from one of said first and second sides of said body to an opposite side of said body drives a flux of oxide ions in said plurality of second regions and a flux of carbonate ions in said plurality of first regions.

6. The membrane according to claim 5 , wherein said body is configured so that said flux of carbonate ions travels from one of said first and second sides of said body to an opposite side of said body and said flux of oxide ions travels from one of said first and second sides of said body to an opposite side of the body.

7. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of second regions and said plurality of first regions are configured so as to be impermeable to carbon monoxide.

8. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of first regions are formed from lithium carbonate and said plurality of second regions are formed from stabilized zirconia.

9. The membrane according to claim 8 , further comprising a layer of lithium zirconate between said plurality of second regions and said plurality of first regions.

10. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of second regions include pores and said plurality of first regions are positioned inside said pores of said plurality of second regions.

11. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said membrane is in the form of a disk, plate, cylinder, cube, tube, film, or sheet.

12. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said molten carbonate includes at least one of lithium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium carbonate, and mixtures thereof.

13. The membrane according to claim 1 , wherein said solid oxide includes at least one of zirconia, zirconia doped with magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, and ytrria, ceria, ceria doped with gadolinium or samarium, δ-Bi2O3, perovskites within the LaGaO3 family, and mixtures thereof.

14. A method of separating carbon dioxide from a mixture of gaseous molecules, said method comprising:

providing a carbon dioxide permeable membrane formed from a plurality of second regions including an oxygen conductive solid oxide and a plurality of first regions including molten carbonate, said membrane having a first side and an opposite second side, wherein said plurality of first regions are configured to conduct carbonate ions, said plurality of second regions are configured to conduct oxide ions and separate carbon dioxide from other gaseous molecules, and said plurality of second regions are surface treated with a catalyst that promotes transfer of oxide ions from said plurality of second regions to said plurality of first regions when separating carbon dioxide;

directing a flow of said mixture of gaseous molecules toward said first side of said membrane;

creating a partial pressure difference of carbon dioxide from said first side of said membrane to said second side of said membrane;

driving a flux of carbonate ions from said first side of said membrane to said second side of said membrane; and

driving a flux of oxide ions from said second side of said membrane to said first side of the membrane.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said mixture of gaseous molecules has a temperature of about 200 to 1200 degrees Celsius.

16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein said mixture of gaseous molecules includes one or more of hydrogen, oxygen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, methane, and steam and has a temperature of about 400 to 1000 degrees Celsius.

17. A method of producing a carbon dioxide permeable membrane, said method comprising:

forming a body substantially from an oxygen conductive solid oxide that conducts oxide ions and separates carbon dioxide from other gaseous molecules;

creating pores in said body to define a porous continuous structure; and

filling said pores of said porous continuous structure with a carbonate, wherein said carbonate in said pores conducts carbonate ions; and

surface treating said oxygen conductive solid oxide with a catalyst that promotes transfer of oxide ions from said oxygen conductive solid oxide to said carbonate in said pores when separating carbon dioxide.

18. The membrane according to claim 17 , wherein said carbonate is at least partially molten at a temperature above about 400 degrees Celsius.

19. The membrane according to claim 17 , wherein forming includes tape casting said body.

20. The membrane according to claim 17 , wherein creating pores includes sintering said body.