Interaction of methane with surfaces of silica,aluminas and HZSM-5 zeolite. A comparative FT-IR study

Infrared investigations on the interaction of methane with silica, aluminas (, and ) and HZSM-5 zeolite have been carried out. At low temperature (173 K), methane adsorption was observed over these oxides and HZSM-5 zeolite. Our findings featured that the infrared inactive ₁ band (2917 cm^–1) of a gaseous methane molecule became active and shifted to lower frequencies (2900 and 2890 cm^–1) when it adsorbed on the surfaces of these adsorbents. Our results also demonstrate that hydroxyl groups played a very important role in methane adsorption over the acidic oxides and the HZSM-5 zeolite. When interaction between the hydroxyl groups and methane took place, the band shift of the hydroxyl groups varied with different oxides. The strength of the interaction decreased according to the following sequence, Si-OH-Al>Al-OH>Si-OH, which is in accordance with the order of their acidities. At higher temperatures, methane interacted quite differently with various oxides and HZSM-5 zeolite. It has been observed that the hydroxyl groups of silica, -alumina and HZSM-5 zeolite could exchange with CD₄ at temperatures higher than 773K, while those on -alumina could exchange at a temperature as low as 573 K. Another interesting observation was the formation of formate species over Al₂O₃ (both and ) at temperatures higher than 473 K. The formate species would decompose to CO₂, or produce carbonate at much higher temperatures. Formation of formate species was not observed over silica and HZSM-5 under similar conditions, -Al₂O₃ did not adsorb or react with methane in any case.     

Laboratory study of methane oxidation in paddy soils

Methane oxidation in paddy soils was investigated under laboratory conditions. Paddy soils collected before early rice transplanting could not oxidize atmospheric CH₄ but could oxidize CH₄ when the concentration exceeded 10 μl l^-1. Initial CH₄ oxidation rate increased with the increase of initial CH₄ concentration. Soil with the maximum potential to produce CH₄, also had the maximum CH₄ oxidation activity and the maximum emission flux from paddy soil. High CH₄ concentration stimulated the oxidation of CH₄. After 10 days' incubation under atmosphere containing 1000 μl^-1 or 10⁴ μl l^-1 CH₄, the soil which could not oxidize atmospheric CH₄ was able to oxidize it. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dehydrogenation and aromatization of methane under non-oxidizing conditions

The dehydrogenation and aromatization of methane on modified ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts has been studied under non-oxidizing conditions with a fixed bed continuous-flow reactor and with a temperature programmed reactor. The results show that benzene is the only hydrocarbon product of the catalytic conversion of methane at high temperature (973 K). The catalytic activity of ZSM-5 is greatly improved by incorporating a metal cation (Mo or Zn). H₂ and ethene have been directly detected in the products with a mass spectrometer during TPAR. A carbenium ion mechanism for the activation of methane is suggested.     

Catalytic conversion of methane to benzene over Mo/ZSM-5

Dehydroaromatization of methane to benzene occurs over a 2 wt% Mo/ZSM-5 catalyst at 700C under non-oxidizing conditions. Following an initial induction period, during which CH₄ reactant reduces the original Mo⁶⁺ ions in the zeolite to Mo₂C and deposition of coke occurs, a benzene selectivity of 70% at a CH₄ conversion of 8–10% could be sustained for more than 16 h. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction measurements indicate that the reduced Mo is highly dispersed in the channels of the zeolite. Initial activation of CH₄ reactant occurs on Mo₂C sites, leading to the formation of C₂H₄ as the primary product. The latter then undergoes subsequent oligomerization reactions on acidic sites of the zeolite to form aromatic products.     

Investigation of CH4 Reforming with CO2 on Meso-Porous Al2O3-Supported Ni Catalyst

Meso-porous Al₂O₃-supported Ni catalysts exhibited the highest activity, stability and excellent coke-resistance ability for CH₄ reforming with CO₂ among several oxide-supported Ni catalysts (meso-porous Al₂O₃ (Yas1-2, Yas3-8), -Al₂O₃, -Al₂O₃, SiO₂, MgO, La₂O₃, CeO₂ and ZrO₂). The properties of deposited carbons depended on the properties of the supports, and on the meso-porous Al₂O₃-supported Ni catalyst, only the intermediate carbon of the reforming reaction formed. XRD and H₂-TPR analysis found that mainly spinel NiAl₂O₄ formed in meso-porous Al₂O₃ and -Al₂O₃-supported catalysts, while only NiO was detected in -Al₂O₃, SiO₂, CeO₂, La₂O₃ and ZrO₂ supports. The strong interaction between Ni and meso-porous Al₂O₃ improved the dispersion of Ni, retarded its sintering and improved the activated adsorption of CO₂. The coking reaction via CH₄ temperature-programed decomposition indicated that meso-porous Al₂O₃-supported Ni catalysts were less active for carbon formation by CH₄ decomposition than Ni/-Al₂O₃ and Ni/-Al₂O₃.     

Methane activation without using oxidants over Mo/HZSM-5 zeolite catalysts

The effect of Mo loading, calcination temperature, reaction temperature and space velocity on the catalytic performance of methane dehydrogenation and aromatization without using oxidants over Mo/HZSM-5 has been studied. The XRD and BET measurements show that Mo species are highly dispersed in the channels of the HZSM-5 zeolite, resulting from the interaction between the Mo species and the zeolite, which also leads to a decrease in its crystallinity. The Brønsted acidity, the channel structure and the state and location of Mo species in the zeolite seem to be crucial factors for its catalytic performance. It was found that 2% Mo/HZSM-5 calcined at 773 K showed the best aromatization activity among the tested catalysts, the methane conversion being 9% at 1013 K with the selectivity to aromatics higher than 90%. The experimental results obtained from the variation of space velocity gave evidence that ethylene is an initial product. On the basis of these results a possible mechanism for methane dehydrogenation and aromatization has been proposed in which both the heterolytic splitting of methane in a solid acid environment and a molybdenum carbene-like complex as an intermediate are of significance.     

Effective Coke Removal in Methane to Benzene (MTB) Reaction on Mo/HZSM-5 Catalyst by H2 and H2O Co-addition to Methane

The catalytic dehydro-aromatization reaction over Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst was drastically stabilized by the co-addition of 5.4% H₂ and 1.8% H₂O to methane feed at 750 °C, 0.3 MPa and methane space velocity of 3000 mL g⁻¹ h⁻¹, suppressing the coke formation effectively, compared with single hydrogen or steam addition.     

Pulse study of methane partial oxidation to syngas over SiO2-supported nickel catalysts

Methane was pulsed over pure CuO and NiO as well as Cu/La₂O₃ and Ni/La₂O₃ catalysts at 600° C. Results indicate that the mechanisms for methane activation over copper and nickel are quite different. Over CuO, methane is converted to CO₂ and H₂O, most likely via the combustion mechanism; whereas metallic copper does not activate methane. Over NiO in the presence of metallic nickel sites, methane activation follows the pyrolysis mechanism to give CO, CO₂, H₂ and H₂O. Similar results were obtained over the Cu/La₂O₃ and Ni/La₂O₃ catalysts. XRD investigations indicate that copper and nickel existed as CuLa₂O₄ and LaNiO₃ respectively in the La₂O₃-supported catalysts. The effect of La₂O₃ on the activation of methane is discussed.     

Decomposition of nitric oxide over perovskite oxide catalysts: effect of CO2, H2O and CH4

Direct nitric oxide decomposition over perovskites is fairly slow and complex, its mechanism changing dramatically with temperature. Previous kinetic study for three representative compositions (La_0.87Sr_0.13Mn_0.2Ni_0.8O_3−δ, La_0.66Sr_0.34Ni_0.3Co_0.7O_3−δ and La_0.8Sr_0.2Cu_0.15Fe_0.85O_3−δ) has shown that depending on the temperature range, the inhibition effect of oxygen either increases or decreases with temperature. This paper deals with the effect of CO₂, H₂O and CH₄ on the nitric oxide decomposition over the same perovskites studied at a steady-state in a plug-flow reactor with 1 g catalyst and total flowrates of 50 or 100 ml/min of 2 or 5% NO. The effect of carbon dioxide (0.5–10%) was evaluated between 873 and 923 K, whereas that of H₂O vapor (1.6 or 2.5%) from 723 to 923 K. Both CO₂ and H₂O inhibit the NO decomposition, but inhibition by CO₂ is considerably stronger. For all three catalysts, these effects increase with temperature. Kinetic parameters for the inhibiting effects of CO₂ and H₂O over the three perovskites were determined. Addition of methane to the feed (NO/CH₄=4) increases conversion of NO to N₂ about two to four times, depending on the initial NO concentration and on temperature. This, however, is still much too low for practical applications. Furthermore, the rates of methane oxidation by nitric oxide over perovskites are substantially slower than those of methane oxidation by oxygen. Thus, perovskites do not seem to be suitable for catalytic selective NO reduction with methane.     

In situ ellipsometric study of a palladium catalyst during the oxidation of methane

Ellipsometry is used to follow the growth of a PdO layer on the surface of a thick Pd-film catalyst during methane oxidation at 500°C. The oxide layer that develops under rich conditions (excess CH₄) is quite porous and roughens with time. Little CO is formed during this period, but the CO₂ formation rate increases until spontaneous oscillations develop, which correlate with changes in the ellipsometric data. These changes indicate that the porous oxide rapidly converts to a metal-rich state, which has decreased catalytic activity, and then slowly reoxidizes.