Starting from a submicron beta-SiC powder doped with 3 wt% of Al(2)O(3) additive, SiC tubes with an outer diameter of 6 mm, an inner diameter of 4 mm and lengths over 500 mm were formed by extrusion and sintered at temperatures ranging from 1800 to 1900 degrees C. All the sintered tubes had homogeneous and defect-free microstructures. The tubes sintered at 1800, 1850 and 1900 degrees C had porosities of 45.7%, 42.1% and 40.4%, pore sizes of 0.19, 0.22 and 1.70 mu m, radial crushing strengths of 47,62 and 110 MPa, respectively. Their gas (N(2), He and H(2)) permeance values were around 10(-6) to 10(-5) moi m(-2) s(-1) pa(-1). The tubes showed no strength degradation and limited oxidation during the water vapor corrosion test at 800 degrees C for 100 h. The defect-free structure, high porosity, high strength, high gas permeance and good water vapor corrosion resistance make these porous SiC tubes promising supports for hydrogen separation membranes. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.