New Methane Chemistry Synthesis of Materials for Reversible Uptake and UsefulFunctionalization of Methane. Annual Report, January-December 1992

摘要

The objective of the report is to discover new methods and materials for theeconomic storage of methane and for the catalytic conversion of methane to useful chemicals. Methane is one of the most abundant fossil fuels but unlike oil it is expensive to transport as a gas or in a liquid form and it is difficult to convert methane to more useful organic materials. The transport of methane and the use of methane as a fuel, for example for automobile engines, would be greatly assisted if it were possible to find materials which would efficiently undergo reversible uptake of methane under mild conditions. The direct catalytic conversion of methane to dihydrogen and carbon monoxide, to methanol, formaldehyde, or by oxidative coupling to ethene are all examples of highly desirable economic processes. These reactions can in principle be achieved by using selective catalysts. The objectives of this proposal, therefore, are to seek new materials which will undergo efficient reversible uptake of methane or which will act as catalysts for the conversion of methane to useful chemicals.