Solar energy-mediated methane activation and conversion

摘要

Nowadays the major industrial route for CH4 utilization to produce hydrogen requires high- temperature (700-1000 °C) steam methane reforming (SMR, CH4 + H2O → 3H2 + CO, ΔH289 K = + 206 kJ mol -1 ) and subsequent low-temperature (<300 °C) water-gas shift reaction (WGS, CO + H2O → H2 + CO2, ΔH289 K = - 41 kJ mol -1 ). Exploring low temperature activation of CH4 technologies is an important subject since it can simplify process layout and reduce energy input. The activation of reactants via the interactions between molecules and energetic hot carriers (electrons and holes) at photo-excitation of metallic nanostructures provide a route to boost the catalytic activity.