Method for fabricating dense thin film cermet hydrogen separation membrane

A method of making a hydrogen permeable in which a colloid suspension of metal powder and ceramic oxide powder dispersed in an organic carrier is contacted with a porous ceramic substrate to deposit a thin film of the colloid suspension on the substrate. The film is then dried and sintered to provide a two part membrane adhered to the porous ceramic substrate. The two part membrane has a metal powder part of one or more of Ni, Pd, Pd alloys, Nb, Ta, Zr, V or mixtures thereof, and an oxide part of one or more of yttria stabilized zirconia, shrinkable alumina, suitably doped cerates, titanates, zirconates of barium or strotium or mixtures thereof, wherein the metal powder part is present in the range of from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of the two-part membrane.