Conversion of direct methane under mild conditions by thermo, electro or photocatalysis examined

The direct conversion of methane, abundant on Earth, into value-added chemicals in mild conditions is an attractive technology in response to growing industrial demand for raw materials and the global attractiveness of energy savings. The exploration of advanced catalysts for low temperature C-H activation and reaction systems is the key to converting methane directly and moderately.

A research group led by Professor DENG Dehui of the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences examined the latest advances in low-temperature methane conversion in systems thermocatalytic, electrocatalytic and photocatalytic. The study was published in Chem.

"We have summarized the typical catalysts used in various reaction systems, particularly heterogeneous catalysts with outstanding C-H activation performance," said Professor DENG.

"Views on catalyst design, theoretical simulations, choice of reaction conditions, and reaction product badysis method were introduced to encourage a more viable technology for low temperature methane conversion." in the future, "said Professor DENG.

The researchers also emphasized the importance of coupling multiple driving forces from thermal, electrical and solar energies to jointly activate methane by integrating the benefits of these pathways into a reaction system.

Professor DENG's group is focused on the development of catalysts based on 2D materials and their applications in the catalytic conversion of energy-related molecules (Nature Nanotechnology, 2016, 11, 218-230; Chemical examinations, 2019, 119, 1806-1854).

As of 2015, Professors DENG and BAO Xinghe, et al. reported the ability of isolated iron sites containing graphene for the catalytic oxidation of complicated hydrocarbons at room temperature (Progress of science, 2015, 1, e1500462).

Among the notable recent advances made by the group is the discovery that isolated iron atoms containing graphene could even catalyze the conversion of methane to ambient temperature (Chem, 2018, 4, 1902-1910).

These results demonstrate great prospects for 2D-based catalysts in the application of C-H activation and other useful catalytic processes.