Oxidative coupling of methane over Mo-Sn catalysts

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is crucial for converting methane into higher-value chemicals.
• Developing efficient and selective catalysts for OCM remains a significant challenge.
• Minimizing deep oxidation to CO2 is key for improving OCM process economics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize a novel catalyst for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM).
• To investigate the catalytic performance of the new catalyst, focusing on methane conversion and C2 hydrocarbon selectivity.
• To elucidate the surface mechanisms responsible for inhibiting deep oxidation.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis method used for catalyst preparation.
• Catalytic performance evaluation at 650 °C.
• Analysis of reaction products to determine conversion and selectivity.

Main Results:

• A novel Mo-Sn catalyst (Mo1Sn3) was successfully synthesized via a hydrothermal method.
• Achieved 8.6% methane conversion and 98.1% C2 hydrocarbon selectivity at 650 °C.
• Demonstrated exceptionally low CO2 selectivity (0.8%).

Conclusions:

• The Mo-Sn catalyst exhibits high performance for OCM.
• Synergistic effects between basic sites and reactive oxygen species inhibit deep methane oxidation.
• This catalyst design offers a promising route for efficient methane valorization.