Mechanisms of the electrochemistry of small organic molecules. Low temperature methane activation. Final report (for the period March 1, 1989-March 1, 1990)

Technical Report · Thu Jun 14 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6628123

Frese, K W

Methane gas, dissolved in aqueous electrolyte, was found to react with dissolved oxygen at room temperature by an electrochemical mechanism. The O{sub 2} was activated by electrochemical injection of electrons to form the radical anion. The methane, in turn, was activated by reaction with the radical anion in a concerted step including the electrode surface. The major products of the reaction were CH{sub 2}O and CH{sub 3}OH. Much smaller amounts of CO and CO{sub 2} were also formed. The conversion of methane to CH{sub 2}O and CH{sub 3}OH was measured to be about 75%. CO and CO{sub 2} comprised only 1% of the product. It is assumed that the reaction is aided by the known, very long lifetime of the radical anion in alkaline solution. The lifetime has been measured to be hundreds of seconds in 0.1 mM concentration. The protonated form of the radical, O{sub 2}H, has orders of magnitude shorter lifetime and may not be reactive toward CH{sub 4}.

• Research Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6628123
• Report Number(s): PB-90-244369/XAB; CNN: GRI-5083-260-0922
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
METHANE
CHEMICAL ACTIVATION
NATURAL GAS FUEL CELLS
ELECTROCHEMISTRY
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMICAL REACTION YIELD
ELECTROLYTES
FORMALDEHYDE
METHANOL
OXYGEN
PROGRESS REPORT
RADICALS
SYNTHESIS
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
FUEL CELLS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
YIELDS
300505* - Fuel Cells- Electrochemistry
Mass Transfer & Thermodynamics