DIRECT METHANE ACTIVATION TO METHANOL ACROSS MIXED CONDUCTING MEMBRANES

THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES A NOVEL STRATEGY FOR DIRECTLY ACTIVATING METHANE TO METHANOL ACROSS A MIXED IONIC AND ELECTRONIC CONDUCTING CERAMIC MEMBRANE AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 200 AND 400 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. THE APPROACH RELIES UPON INITIAL HETEROGENEOUS GENERATION OF HALIDE SPECIES COMPATIBLE WITH SUBSEQUENT METHANE ACTIVATION, VIA HYDROGEN ABSTRACTION, TO GIVE AN INTERMEDIATE METHYL HALIDE SPECIES. SUBSEQUENT HYDROLYSIS OF THIS METHYL HALIDE INTERMEDIATE ON A BASIC SUPPORT WILL THEN LEAD TO METHANOL SYNTHESIS. HYDROGEN ABSTRACTED DURING THE INITIAL METHANE ACTIVATION STEP WILL BE MEDIATED AWAY FROM THE REACTION SITE VIA THE PROTON CONDUCTING CERAMIC MEMBRANE. CATALYSIS FOR PROMOTING THIS OVERALL METHANE ACTIVATION REACTION WILL INITIALLY BE QUANTIFIED IN ELECTROLYTIC CELLS INCORPORATING THE RESPECTIVE PEROVSKITE SOLID ELECTROLYTES BATB0.9GD0.1O3, BACE0.9GD0.1O3, OR BATH0.9GD0.1O3. PREFERRED CATALYSTS WILL THEN BE INCORPORATED ONTO THE OXIDIZING SURFACE OF THE RESPECTIVE MIXED CONDUCTING PEROVSKITE MEMBRANES BATB0.9M0.1O3, BACE0.9M0.1O3, SRCE0.9M0.1O3 AND BATH0.9M0.1O3 (WHERE M = MN, CO, FE OR TI) WHERE THEIR UTILITY FOR PROMOTING DIRECT METHANE CONVERSION TO METHANOL WILL BE EVALUATED.