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Oxidative methane dimerization by basic oxide catalysts

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5585444
; ;  [1]
  1. Stanford Research Inst., Menlo Park, CA (USA)

The effect of reactant and product partial pressure on the methane activation kinetics was examined for a series of alkali-promoted alkaline earth oxide catalysts. In the limit of vanishing oxygen partial pressure the C/sub 2/ product selectivity becomes high and the ethene ethane ratio approaches zero. The kinetics are consistent with the competitive gas phase dimerization and the oxidation (both homogeneous and heterogeneous) of heterogeneously produced methyl radicals. Post-reaction temperature-programmed desorption, electron spin resonance measurements at elevated temperature, and isotope exchange experiments have provided additional cites about the mechanism of methane partial oxidation. Temperature-programmed desorption experiments following stationary-state oxidative dimerization of methane by Na-promoted CaO and Li-promoted MgO help describe a physical picture of the working catalysts.

OSTI ID:
5585444
Report Number(s):
CONF-880348--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English