ZEOLITE MEMBRANE PRODUCTION METHOD, GAS ADSORBENT, AND GAS ADSORPTION DEVICE

Abstract

A method for forming a zeolite membrane by performing an ALD cycle, the ALD cycle including a silicon oxide film forming step and an aluminum oxide film forming step. In the silicon oxide film forming step, an organic Si compound is used as a first raw material gas and OH radicals are used as a reaction gas; in the aluminum oxide film forming step, an organic Al compound is used as a second raw material gas and OH radicals are used as a reaction gas; and the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films are alternately formed in forward or reverse order to form the zeolite membrane.

Claims

1. A zeolite membrane production method for forming a zeolite membrane on a surface of an object by performing an ALD cycle in a reaction vessel, the ALD cycle including a silicon oxide film forming step and an aluminum oxide film forming step, the silicon oxide film forming step including: a first step of filling an organic Si compound as a first raw material gas into the reaction vessel, a second step of exhausting the first raw material gas from the reaction vessel, a third step of filling OH radicals as a reaction gas into the reaction vessel, and a fourth step of exhausting the reaction gas from the reaction vessel, the aluminum oxide film forming step including: a fifth step of filling an organic Al compound as a second raw material gas into the reaction vessel, a sixth step of exhausting the second raw material gas from the reaction vessel, a seventh step of filling OH radicals as a reaction gas into the reaction vessel, an eighth step of exhausting the reaction gas from the reaction vessel, and the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films being alternately formed in forward or reverse order.

2. The zeolite membrane production method according to claim 1, wherein the object is powder, and the zeolite membrane is formed on a surface of the powder.

3. The zeolite membrane production method according to claim 2, wherein the powder is formed of aluminum oxide, and the silicon oxide film is formed on a surface of the powder by performing the silicon oxide film forming step first in the ALD cycle.

4. The zeolite membrane production method according to claim 2, wherein the powder is formed of silicon oxide, and the aluminum oxide film is formed on a surface of the powder by performing the aluminum oxide film forming step first in the ALD cycle.

5. The zeolite membrane production method according to claim 1, wherein the object is a porous material, and the zeolite membrane is formed on a surface of the porous material.

6. A gas adsorbent comprising a powder and a zeolite membrane covering a surface of the powder.

7. A gas adsorption device constituted by arranging a plurality of gas adsorbents densely, the plurality of gas adsorbents including the gas adsorbent according to claim 6.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] FIG. 1 illustrates an ALD device in which a zeolite membrane production method that is one embodiment of the present disclosure is performed.

[0005] FIG. 2 illustrates details of reaction gas sources illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0006] FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining an embodiment of an ALD method performed in the ALD device illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0007] FIG. 4 illustrates a respiratory oxygen concentrator that is one example of a gas adsorption device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a novel zeolite membrane production method for forming a zeolite membrane on a surface of an object by using a raw material gas and a reaction gas, a gas adsorbent, and a gas adsorption device.

[0009] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the provided subject matter. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. Further, when a first element is described as being connected or coupled to a second element, such description includes embodiments in which the first and second elements are directly connected or coupled to each other, and also includes embodiments in which the first and second elements are indirectly connected or coupled to each other with one or more other intervening elements in between.

[0010] (1) In accordance with one of some embodiments, there is provided a zeolite membrane production method for forming a zeolite membrane on a surface of an object by performing an ALD cycle in a reaction vessel, [0011] the ALD cycle including a silicon oxide film forming step and an aluminum oxide film forming step, [0012] the silicon oxide film forming step including: [0013] a first step of filling an organic Si compound as a first raw material gas into the reaction vessel, [0014] a second step of exhausting the first raw material gas from the reaction vessel, [0015] a third step of filling OH radicals as a reaction gas into the reaction vessel, and [0016] a fourth step of exhausting the reaction gas from the reaction vessel, [0017] the aluminum oxide film forming step including: [0018] a fifth step of filling an organic Al compound as a second raw material gas into the reaction vessel, [0019] a sixth step of exhausting the second raw material gas from the reaction vessel, [0020] a seventh step of filling OH radicals as a reaction gas into the reaction vessel, [0021] an eighth step of exhausting the reaction gas from the reaction vessel, and [0022] the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films being alternately formed in forward or reverse order.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the zeolite membrane is formed by alternately forming the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films in forward or reverse order. If the silicon oxide SiO.sub.4 films and the aluminum oxide AlO.sub.4 films are regularly arranged, the zeolite membrane as shown by the following chemical formula can be formed. This is because a basic unit of a zeolite structure is a tetrahedral structure of SiO.sub.4 or AlO.sub.4, and the units are linked in a three-dimensional direction to form a crystal. The zeolite is laminate of two types of layers at a moment of adsorption-oxidation, but it changes into a thermodynamically stable system (i.e., zeolite) with time.

##STR00001##

[0024] As two types of precursors to form the silicon oxide film, the organic Si compound of the first raw material gas and the hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas are used. The organic Si compound of the first raw material gas adheres to an object surface, after it is filled into a reaction vessel in the first step and even exhausted in the second step. The OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas filled into the reaction vessel in the third step, react with the organic Si compound adhering to the object surface, to form the silicon oxide SiO.sub.4 film on the object surface at an atomic layer level. In the fourth step, the OH radicals (OH*) are exhausted from the reaction vessel. Still, as the organic Si compound of the first raw material gas, TDMAS (Tris(dimethylamino)silane: SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3), TEOS (Tetraethyl orthosilicate: Si(OC.sub.2H.sub.5).sub.4), OMCTS (Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane: [OSi(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.4), or TMCTS (Tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane: [OSiH(CH.sub.3)].sub.4), etc. can be used.

[0025] As two types of precursors to form the aluminum oxide film, the organic Al compound of the second raw material gas and hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas are used. The organic Al compound of the second raw material gas adheres to the object surface, after it is filled into the reaction vessel in the fifth step and even exhausted in the sixth step. The OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas filled into the reaction vessel in the seventh step, react with the organic Al compound adhering to the object surface, to form the aluminum oxide AlO.sub.4 film on the object surface at an atomic layer level. In the eighth step, the OH radicals (OH*) are exhausted from the reaction vessel. Still, as the organic Al compound of the second raw material gas, TMA (trimethylaluminium: Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3), Al(O-sec-C.sub.4H.sub.9).sub.3 (Aluminum-tri-sec-butoxide), etc. can be used.

[0026] A set of the first through eighth steps is the ALD cycle, and by repeating this cycle, the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films are alternately formed. Still, the silicon oxide films and the aluminum oxide films may be alternately laminated in forward or reverse order, and the first deposition on the object may be performed in the fifth through eighth steps, followed by the first through fourth steps. A film thickness of the zeolite membrane is proportional to cycle number of the ALD cycles repeatedly performed, and the desired film thickness can be achieved by adjusting the number of the cycles. This high-precision lamination extends a service life of the zeolite membrane, and since it functions well even with a thin film thickness, lower costs can be realized.

[0027] (2) In accordance with one embodiment (1), the object may be powder, and the zeolite membrane may be formed on a surface of the powder. Since the zeolite is a porous body with a micropore diameter corresponding to a molecular diameter, phenomena in which molecules entering the pores are adsorbed and remained in those pores occur. Although there is no limit to the object, the powder with the zeolite membrane formed on the surface can be used for a gas adsorbent and the like. Densely arranged the powder with the zeolite membrane formed on its surface allows some gases to be adsorbed into the pores while allowing other some gases to pass through.

[0028] (3) In accordance with one embodiment (2), the powder may be formed of aluminum oxide, and the silicon oxide film may be formed on a surface of the powder by performing the silicon oxide film forming step first in the ALD cycle. When it is done in this way, the aluminum oxide of the powder surface and the silicon oxide film formed on the top of it change into a thermodynamically stable system (zeolite) with time.

[0029] (4) In accordance with one embodiment (2), the powder may be formed of silicon oxide, and the aluminum oxide film may be formed on a surface of the powder by performing the aluminum oxide film forming step first in the ALD cycle. When it is done in this way, the silicon oxide of the powder surface and the aluminum oxide film formed on the top of it change into the thermodynamically stable system (zeolite) with time.

[0030] (5) In accordance with one embodiment (1), the object may be a porous material, and the zeolite membrane may be formed on a surface of the porous material. The porous body with the zeolite membrane on the surface can be utilized for a filter capable of gas adsorption and the like.

[0031] (6) In accordance with another one of some embodiments, there is provided a gas adsorbent comprising [0032] a powder and [0033] a zeolite membrane covering a surface of the powder.

[0034] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the gas adsorbent that become capable to be formed for the first time by (2) to (4) of one aspect of the present disclosure is defined.

[0035] (7) In accordance with another one of some embodiments, there is provided a gas adsorption device constituted by arranging a plurality of gas adsorbents densely, the plurality of gas adsorbents including the gas adsorbent according to one of some aspect (6).

[0036] According to yet another embodiment of the present disclosure, some gases can be adsorbed by the zeolite membrane formed on the surface of at least some, preferably all, of the plurality of gas adsorbents that are arranged densely.

[0037] Exemplary embodiments are described below. Note that the following exemplary embodiments do not in any way limit the scope of the content defined by the claims laid out herein. Note also that all of the elements described in the present embodiment should not necessarily be taken as essential elements.

[0038] 1. ALD Device

[0039] FIG. 1 illustrates one example of an ALD device 200 including a reaction vessel 10 and gas sources 100. The reaction vessel 10 can include a vessel body 20 accommodating powder P, a gas inlet port 30 for introducing gases from the gas sources 100 into the vessel body 20, a first filter 40 disposed inside the vessel body 20, an exhaust port 50 for exhausting the inside of the vessel body 20, and a second filter 60 disposed inside the vessel body 20. The first filter 40 allows passage of gases while preventing the powder P from passing toward the gas inlet port 30. The second filter 60 allows passage of the gases while preventing the powder P from passing toward the exhaust port 50. The powder P are then accommodated in capable of putting in and out of a powder compartment 70, that is partitioned by the vessel body 20, the first filter 40, and the second filter 60. Here, the powder P can be microparticles having a size of, e.g., micron, submicron, or nano-order. The powder P can be made of any material, but can preferably be aluminum oxide or silicon oxide.

[0040] The ALD device 200 has a gas introducing pipe 202 that is hermetically connected to the gas inlet port 30 of the reaction vessel 10 and an exhaust pipe 203 that is hermetically connected to the exhaust port 50 of the reaction vessel 10. The gas sources 100 are connected to the gas introducing pipe 202. To the exhaust pipe 203, an exhaust pump 270 is connected and is capable of vacuuming the inside of the reaction vessel 10.

[0041] The gas sources 100 include raw material gas sources 130 and a reaction gas source 140. The raw material gas sources 130 include a first raw material gas source 131 and a second raw material gas source 132. In the present embodiment, an inert gas source 170 is further disposed, to supply inert gas into the reaction vessel 10 via the gas inlet port 30 to enable to purge the inside of the reaction vessel 10. Instead of introducing a purge gas, the inside of the vessel 10 may be exhausted through the exhaust port 50 by the vacuum pump 270. Gases from these gas sources 130 (131, 132), 140, and 170 are selectively supplied to the reaction vessel 10 through the gas introducing pipe 202 with supply timing and a flow rate controlled through flow rate controllers 80A to 80D and valves 90A to 90D.

[0042] The first raw material gas source 131 supplies an organic Si compound. e.g., TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3), as a first raw material gas. The second raw material gas source 132 supplies an organic Al compound, e.g., TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3), as a second raw material gas. The reaction gas source 140 supplies OH radicals. The reaction gas source 140 can include a vessel 141 of the inert gas, e.g., argon Ar, a humidifier 142 containing water 2, and an activation device 143, as illustrated in FIG. 2. From the humidifier 142, water bubbled by the argon Ar is delivered as a water vapor gas. In the activation device 143, the water vapor is activated by generating plasma 3 by means of an induction coil 143B around a glass tube 143A through which humidified Ar gas passes. This results in Ar+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.Ar*+OH*+H*, and OH radicals (OH*) can be generated.

[0043] 2. ALD Step

[0044] The powder P is set in the reaction vessel 10, and the ALD cycle is performed. The reaction vessel 10 in which the powder P is accommodated may be set in a dispersion device, not illustrated, to disperse the powder P. It is preferable that the powder P is dispersed before deposition, because the smaller the size of the powder P is, the easier it is to agglutinate. Generally, the ALD cycle is one cycle with a minimum of four steps: input of a raw material gas.fwdarw.exhaust (purge or vacuuming).fwdarw.input of a reaction gas.fwdarw.exhaust. In the embodiment, the films deposited on the powder P in the ALD device 200 are silicon oxide films and aluminum oxide films, that are alternately formed in the forward or reverse order. In the embodiment, therefore, the ALD cycle in the embodiment is defined as one cycle of input of the first raw material gas.fwdarw.exhaust.fwdarw.input of the reaction gas.fwdarw.exhaust.fwdarw.input of the second raw material gas.fwdarw.exhaust.fwdarw.input of the reaction gas.fwdarw.exhaust, as illustrated in FIG. 3. A thickness of the film deposited on the powder P is proportional to number N of the ALD cycles. Thus, it is judged whether the number of cycles counted up at an end of each ALD cycle has reached a set value, and the ALD cycle is repeatedly performed for a required number of N cycles as illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0045] 2.1 Silicon Oxide Film

[0046] As two types of precursors, the TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3) from the first raw material gas source 131 and the hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) from the reaction gas source 140 are used. Upon performing the ALD cycle, the inside of the reaction vessel 10 first vacuumed by the exhaust pump 270 and set to, e.g., 10.sup.4 Pa. Next, as a first step of the ALD cycle, the first raw material gas, the TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3), is filled into the reaction vessel 10 at a predetermined pressure, e.g., 1 to 10 Pa. In the first step of the ALD cycle, The TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3) permeates a surface of the powder P. After a lapse of a predetermined time, as a second step of the ALD cycle, a purge gas is introduced into the reaction vessel 10, and the TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3) in the reaction vessel 10 is exhausted and replaced by the purge gas.

[0047] Next, as a third step of the ALD cycle, the hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas are filled into the reaction vessel 10 at a predetermined pressure, e.g., 1 to 10 Pa. In the third step of the ALD cycle, the OH radicals (OH*) permeate the surface of the powder P. As a result, on the surface of the powder P, the TDMAS (SiH[N(CH.sub.3).sub.2].sub.3) reacts with OH radicals (OH*) to form the silicon oxide SiO.sub.4 film. In particular, on the hydroxyl groups (hydroxy groups (OH*)) on the surface of powder P, saturated adsorption of an organic Si compound gas is possible even at room temperature. Therefore, there is no need to forcibly heat the powder P during deposition. After a lapse of a predetermined time, as a fourth step of the ALD cycle, the purge gas is introduced into the reaction vessel 10, and the OH radicals (OH*) in the reaction vessel 10 are replaced by the purge gas. Thereby, a deposition step of the silicon oxide film is completed.

[0048] 2.2 Aluminum Oxide Film

[0049] As two types of precursors, the TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3) from the second raw material gas source 132 and the hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) from the reaction gas source 140 are used. First, the inside of the reaction vessel 10 is vacuumed by the exhaust pump 270 and set to, e.g., 10.sup.4 Pa. Next, as a fifth step of the ALD cycle, the second raw material gas, the TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3), is filled into the reaction vessel 10 at a predetermined pressure, e.g., 1 to 10 Pa. In the fifth step of the ALD cycle, the TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3) permeates the surface of the powder P. After a lapse of a predetermined time, as a sixth step of the ALD cycle, the purge gas is introduced into the reaction vessel 10, and the TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3) in the reaction vessel 10 is exhausted and replaced by the purge gas.

[0050] Next, as a seventh step of the ALD cycle, the hydroxyl group OH radicals (OH*) of the reaction gas are filled into the reaction vessel 10 at a predetermined pressure, e.g., 1 to 10 Pa. In the seventh step of the ALD cycle, the OH radicals (OH*) permeate the surface of the powder P. As a result, on the surface of the powder P, the TMA (Al(CH.sub.3).sub.3) reacts with OH radicals (OH*) to form the aluminum oxide AlO.sub.4 film. In particular, on the hydroxyl groups (hydroxy groups (OH*)) on the surface of the powder P, saturated adsorption of an organic Al compound gas is possible even at room temperature. After a lapse of a predetermined time, as an eighth step of the ALD cycle, the purge gas is introduced into the reaction vessel 10, and the OH radicals (OH*) in the reaction vessel 10 are replaced by the purge gas. Thereby, a deposition step of the aluminum oxide film is completed.

[0051] 3. Formation of Zeolite Membrane

[0052] A zeolite membrane is formed by regularly arranging the silicon oxide SiO.sub.4 films and the aluminum oxide AlO.sub.4 films. This is because a basic unit of a zeolite structure is a tetrahedral structure of SiO.sub.4 or AlO.sub.4, and the units are linked in a three-dimensional direction to form a crystal. It is laminate of two types of layers at a moment of adsorption-oxidation, but it changes into a thermodynamically stable system (i.e., zeolite) with time.

[0053] 4. Gas Adsorbent and Gas Adsorption Device

[0054] The powder P coated with the zeolite membrane can be suitably used as a gas adsorbent. The zeolite membrane has, e.g., a higher adsorption rate of nitrogen in air than that of oxygen. Therefore, the powder P coated with the zeolite membrane can be utilized in medical equipment that takes air into the equipment and produces highly concentrated oxygen from that air.

[0055] FIG. 4 illustrates a respiratory oxygen concentrator 300, that is one example of a gas adsorption device. The respiratory oxygen concentrator 300 has an oxygen concentration part 310, an introductory part 320 for introducing air into the oxygen concentration part 310, and a withdrawal part 330 from which oxygen enriched gas is withdrawn from the oxygen concentration part 310. In the oxygen concentration part 310, a plurality of powders P coated with the zeolite membrane are densely arranged in air passages. Alternatively, within the oxygen concentration part 310, a porous body in which the plurality of powders P coated with the zeolite membrane are densely disposed are arranged in the air passages. In the air introduced into the oxygen concentration part 310 from the introductory part 320, relatively more nitrogen is adsorbed than oxygen, so that the oxygen is enriched in the oxygen concentration part 310 and is then withdrawn out from the withdrawal part 330. The object on which the zeolite membrane is formed is not limited to powders or porous materials, and may be any object on which the zeolite membrane needs to be formed.

[0056] Although only some embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within scope of the present disclosure.