Methyl Radical Dominated Highly Selective Methane Oxidation to Liquid Oxygenates.

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Photochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Selective methane oxygenation to value-added chemicals is challenging due to overoxidation.
• Traditional methods often rely on highly oxidative species like hydroxyl radicals (•OH).

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a strategy for photoinduced direct generation of methyl radicals (•CH3) from methane.
• To enable controllable methane oxygenation and avoid product overoxidation.

Main Methods:

• Assembled a photocatalyst: Platinum single-atom-decorated Zinc Oxide (Pt1/ZnO).
• Utilized Pt single atoms as hole trapping and methane activation sites.
• Initiated a radical chain process involving molecular oxygen.

Main Results:

• Achieved remarkable liquid product selectivity of 95%.
• Obtained a formaldehyde yield of 2.98 mmol g-1 h-1.
• Demonstrated a record quantum efficiency of 14.14% at 350 nm.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers controllable methane oxygenation via methyl radicals.
• Pt1/ZnO photocatalyst effectively activates methane and incorporates oxygen.
• This strategy provides a promising route for selective methane conversion.