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Solid electrolyte aided study of methane oxidation

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6532452

Methane is in abundant supply as the main component of natural gas. It can also be produced by the hydrogenation of carbon, carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide. It is very difficult, however, to convert methane to other useful chemicals. Methane is a very stable molecule and its heterogeneous catalytic oxidation results to complete oxidation products, i.e. CO/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/O. Products of partial oxidation of CH/sub 4/ such as CH/sub 2/O and CH/sub 3/OH or oxidative dimerization products, i.e. C/sub 2/H/sub 4/ and C/sub 2/H/sub 6/ have been reported by a number of investigators but selectivities to the above chemicals are usually very low. Oxygen-ion-conducting solid electrolytes can be used in heterogeneous catalytic processes in order to either study or influence the rates of catalytic oxidations. They can also be used in high temperature fuel cells. The purpose of the present communication is to report that the intrinsic catalytic activity and selectivity of metal-metal oxide catalysts can be altered by using a stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte oxygen ''pump''. To this end the oxidation of CH/sub 4/ was studied on Li/MgO-Au catalysts supported on 8% yttria stabilized zirconia. Under the conditions employed in this study stabilized zirconia is a pure oxygen-ion conductor.

Research Organization:
Chemical Engineering Dept., Tufts Univ., Medford, MA 02155
OSTI ID:
6532452
Report Number(s):
CONF-861146-
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English