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High-Pressure Electro-Fenton Driving CH4 Conversion by O2 at Room Temperature
Yao Song1,2, Xiao Yang1, Huan Liu1
1State Key Laboratory of Catalysis, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning 116023, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|January 26, 2024
Summary
High-pressure electro-Fenton conversion of methane (CH4) to formic acid (HCOOH) enhances reactivity. This method achieves high HCOOH productivity and efficiency at low overpotential, enabling energy-efficient CH4 utilization.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Catalysis
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Methane (CH4) utilization is crucial for energy efficiency.
- Electrochemical conversion of CH4 to liquid fuels is challenging due to low reactivity and solubility.
- Existing methods often require harsh conditions or lack efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an efficient electrochemical strategy for converting methane to value-added liquid fuels.
- To overcome the limitations of low methane reactivity and solubility in electrochemical systems.
- To investigate the use of a high-pressure electro-Fenton (HPEF) approach for methane electrocatalysis.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a high-pressure electro-Fenton (HPEF) strategy.
- Electrocatalytic conversion of methane (CH4) using oxygen (O2) at room temperature.
- Utilizing elevated reactant pressure to accelerate reaction kinetics and enhance CH4-•OH collision probability.
Main Results:
- Achieved unprecedented formic acid (HCOOH) productivity of 11.5 mmol h−1 gFe−1, a 220-fold enhancement over ambient pressure.
- Obtained a high HCOOH Faradaic efficiency of 81.4% at an ultralow cathodic overpotential of 0.38 V.
- Demonstrated that elevated pressure promotes O2 electrocatalytic reduction and increases CH4-•OH reaction probability.
Conclusions:
- The HPEF strategy effectively enables a hetero-homogeneous process for methane electrocatalytic conversion.
- Elevated pressure is key to enhancing reaction kinetics and improving the efficiency of methane electro-oxidation.
- This approach offers a promising pathway for energy-efficient methane utilization and conversion into valuable liquid fuels.
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