About REB Research & Consulting

REB Research & Consulting is a maker of hydrogen generators and hydrogen purifiers, generally built around palladium-coated metallic membranes. The company was founded in 1987 by Dr. Robert E. Buxbaum, then a professor at Michigan State, to sell hydrogen extraction and purification membranes, and other products of his hydrogen permeation research. The company also set out to consult on hydrogen separations and on membrane reactors for hydrogen generation. With the aid of an SBIR grant, we developed our refractory metal sandwich hydrogen purification membranes; we began manufacturing complete hydrogen gas purifiers and hydrogen gas generators somewhat later. We aim to combine the best quality equipment with strong customer support in all areas of separation, but particlarly hydrogen production and useage. Our main customers are laboratories, fuel cell users, and electronic manufacturers.


Below, Dr. Buxbaum with four generations of membrane-based hydrogen purifiers. The largest module, right, is 8 years old and had an output of 0.2 slpm. The purifier being held is a small current design. It outputs 8 slpm of hydrogen at ppb purity. Our purifiers range from 0.75 liter/min to 150 liters/min, with custom units available.

Our hydrogen-producing membrane reactors output as much as 75 slpm (150 cfh). We have recently completed tests with these reactors making hydrogen directly from sour (H2S -containg) coal gas. Coal is a very cheap source of hydrogen energy. More typically the membrane reactor hydrogen is produced from clean sources like methanol and ethanol, and used in smaller-scale braze furnaces, in fuel cells, and in electronic production.
Dr. Buxbaum w/modulesCatalog

REB Research also makes hydrogen getters generally involving palladium-coated vanadium alloys, and is the only commercial manufacturer of membrane reactors used in hydrogen production to increase the conversion and decrease the volume in reforming processes. See our essay on why membrane reactors are so beneficial for compact, efficient hydrogen generation. Alternately see our load following paper where the hydrogen is used to feed a fuel cell. Membrane reactors provide some inherent load following, since power demand in the fuel cell affects the hydrogen pressure, and this affects effective reaction rate in the appropriate direction.

About Robert E. Buxbaum, PhD, PE

REB Research & Consulting, co.
12851 Capital St., Oak Park, MI 48237
248-545-0155
Contact him by e-mail, or
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EDUCATION
  • Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, 1981
  • Ph.D. Dissertation: "The Separation of Tritium from the Liquid Lithium Breeder-Blanket of a Fusion Reactor: The Use of Yttrium Metal as a Getter," E. F. Johnson Advisor.
  • B.E. Chemical Engineering, Cooper Union, 1976

CERTIFICATION AND EXPERIENCE
  • Professional Engineer, State of Michigan License 34001.
  • President, REB Research & Consulting 1987-Present.
    Specializes in hydrogen separations and membrane reactors. Manufactures Mr. Hydrogen, hydrogen purifiers.
  • Associate Professor Michigan State University, 1981 - Present, (currently adjoint)
    Supervised research in separations and thermodynamics (particularly involving hydrogen). Collaborated on several projects in neuronal growth. Taught thermodynamics, (undergraduate, graduate, and advanced). Also taught courses in engineering materials, biological thermodynamics, heat transfer, polymer science and absorption and liquid extraction.
  • Argonne National Laboratory, 1986 (Summer)
    Visiting researcher in material science of nuclear fusion reactors, corrosion inhibition and metal coatings.
  • Research Assistant, Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, 1976-81
    Conducted research on separation and materials science problems of fusion power reactors.
  • Research Consultant, Gordion Associates, NYC., NY 1976
  • Electronic Design Consultant, Dahill Electronics, Brooklyn, NY. 1975

PATENTS
  • "Protected optical fiber cable and hydrogen gettering agent"; US Pat. 7082239, 2007.
  • "Hydrogen permeable membrane and hydride battery composition"; US Pat. 6576350, 2006.
  • "Membrane reactor for gas extraction"; US Pat. 7267804, 2005.
  • "Membrane reactor for gas extraction"; US Pat. 6923944, 2004.
  • "Hydrogen Generator"; Patent 6,461,408, October 8, 2002.
  • "Hydrogen permeable membrane and hydride battery composition"; US Pat. 6395405, 2003.
  • "High Temperature Gas Purification Apparatus"; Patent 6,168,650, January 2, 2001.
  • "Apparatus and Method for Gas Extraction"; Patent 5,931,987, Aug. 3, 1999.
  • "High Temperature Gas Purification System"; Patent 5,888,273, March 30, 1999.
  • "Method for Plating Palladium"; Patent 5,149,420, Sept. 22, 1992.
  • "Composite Metal Membrane for Hydrogen Extraction", Patent 5,108,724, Nov. 27, 1991.


SELECTED RECENT PUBLICATIONS
(of 64 articles published)
  • R. Buxbaum and H. Lei, "Power output and load following in a fuel cell fueled by membrane reactor hydrogen", J. Power Sources, 5467 (2003) 1-5 see preprint.
  • R.E. Buxbaum, D.L. Smith, and J.-H. Park, "Hydrogen Solubility in V-4Cr-4Ti Alloy" Journal of Nuclear Materials, 307-311 (2002) 576-579.
  • Y.S. Lin and R.E. Buxbaum, Metal Membranes Encyclopedia of Separation Science. Wilson ID, Adlard ER, Cooke M and Poole CF (Eds) Vol 7:3365:3372. London: Academic Press (2000).
  • R.E.Buxaum "Membrane Reactor Advantages for Methanol Reforming and Similar Reactions" Separation Science and Technol., 34 (1999) 2113-2123. see preprint
  • J.W. Hen, F. Feng, MM Geng, R. Buxbaum, and D.O. Northwood, "Electrochemical characteristics of the interface between the metal hydride electrode and electrolyte for an advanced nickel metal hydride battery", J. Power Sources 80 (1999) 39- 45.
  • R.E. Buxbaum, J.H. Park and D.L.Smith, "Hydrogen Transport and Embrittlement of Palladium Coated Vanadium Chromium Titanium Alloys," J. Nuclear Materials 233-237 (1996) 510-512.
  • R.E. Buxbaum and A.B. Kinney, "Hydrogen Transport through Tubular Membranes of Palladium-Coated Tantalum and Niobium" I&EC Research, 35 (1996) 530-536.
  • R.E. Buxbaum and T.L. Marker, "Hydrogen Transport through Nonporous Membranes of Palladium-Coated Niobium, Tantalum and Vanadium," J. Membrane Sci., 85 (1993) 29-38.
  • R.E. Buxbaum and P.C. Hsu, "Measurements of Diffusive and Surface Transport Resistances for Deuterium in Palladium-Coated Zirconium Membranes." J. Nuclear Materials, 189 (1992) 183-192.
  • C.L. Stokes and R.E. Buxbaum, "Analysis of Palladium Coatings to Remove H-Isotopes from Zirconium Fuel Rods in CANDU-PHW Reactors: Thermal and Neutron Diffusion Effects," Nuclear Technology, 98 (1992) 207-216.
  • P. Lamoureux, R.E. Buxbaum, and S.R. Heidemann , "Direct Evidence that Growth Cores Pull," Nature, 340 (1989) 159-162.
  • C.C. Brown and R.E. Buxbaum, "Kinetics and Hydrogen Absorption in Alpha Titanium: A Surface Energy Model," Metall. Trans., A19, Volume 14 (1988) 25-27.
  • K. Yam, D.K. Anderson and R.E. Buxbaum, "Local Viscosity Effects in Diffusion Processes," Science, 241 (1988) 330-332.
  • R.E. Buxbaum, S. Weiss, T. Denerill, and S.R. Heidemann, "Actin and Microtubule Suspensions as Indeterminate Fluids," Science, 235 (1987) 1511-1514.
  • C.-Z. Hsu and R.E. Buxbaum, "Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Diffusion for Tritium Extraction from Breeder-Blanket Fluids at Low Concentrations," J. Nuc. Mat., 141-143 (1986) 238-243<
  • C.-Z. Hsu and R.E. Buxbaum, "Electroless and Immersion Plating of Palladium on Zirconium", J. Electrochem. Soc., 132 (1985) 2419-2420.

Government Grants

  • High Temperature, Low Activation, Refractory Alloys for Generation IV Nuclear Reactor Construction, DOE SBIR ER-84817, $99,970 September 2007 - June 2008.
  • High Flux Metallic Membranes for Hydrogen Recovery and Membrane Reactors, DOE DE-FC26-05NT4200, $2,300,000 October 2005 - September 2008.
  • Improved Coated-Metal Hydrogen Extraction Membrane, DOE SBIR DE-FG02-93ER81625, $600,000 1994-1996.
  • Low Cost Technique for Testing Ceramic Insulator Coatings DE-FG02-97-ER82467, $100,000, 1997-1998.

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