Doping a Catalyst with Rare Earth Element Can Increase H2 Production Via Partial Oxidation of Methane
23 January 2010
Researchers at the East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, found that doping a catalyst with a rare earth element—europium—enhances hydrogen production in the process of partial oxidation of methane to produce syngas (CO and H2).
| Hydrogen yield on Er2O3. Wen et al. Click to enlarge. |
A paper on their work was published in the RSC journal ChemComm.
The partial oxidation of methane occurs simultaneously with the total oxidation of methane—which does not produce hydrogen, and which also forms hot-spots on the catalyst that degrade activity.
Guanzhong Lu and his colleagues found that adding rare-earth elements into the catalyst can reduce the reactivity of lattice oxygen, resulting in increased hydrogen production, and the elimination of catalyst hot-spots.
Resources
Cun Wen, Yi Liu, Yun Guo, Yanqin Wang and Guanzhong Lu (2010) Strategy to eliminate catalyst hot-spots in the partial oxidation of methane: enhancing its activity for direct hydrogen production by reducing the reactivity of lattice oxygen, Chem. Commun. doi: 10.1039/b920725b
Which will come first? Direct conversion of methane to methanol or net energy production with fusion? ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 24 January 2010 at 03:04 AM