Solar-Energy-Mediated Methane Conversion

Abstract

The conversion of methane to upgraded fuels and higher-value chemicals such as hydrogen, methanol, and olefins is a promising technology in the supply of chemicals and energy. However, current commercial methane conversion technology suffers from intense energy consumption. It is highly desirable to develop novel technologies for methane conversion with improved efficiency and lower cost. Solar energy, the most abundant and clean renewable energy, has been utilized as a new stimulus to drive methane conversion under mild conditions. In this review, recent achievements in solar-energy-mediated catalytic methane conversion are highlighted. We focus on the photocatalytic conversion of methane in photocatalytic systems, photoelectrochemical systems, and photoenhanced thermocatalytic systems. We discuss the challenges and prospects of future research on solar-energy-mediated methane conversion and aim to acquire in-depth understanding of the photo-mediated activation of the C-H bond and provide guidelines for the design of highly efficient catalysts.

Platinum‐ and CuOx‐Decorated TiO2 Photocatalyst for Oxidative Coupling of Methane to C2 Hydrocarbons in a Flow Reactor

“…Given that some reactions in Table S2 were non-oxidative coupling of methane, their yields were relatively low owing to the high thermodynamic barriers. [20] The yield of C 2 products over our optimised sample was also higher than for the partial oxidation of methane. Furthermore, the selectivity towards C 2 products of 60 % was comparable to that of traditional catalysts (e.g.…”

Coupling of Solar Energy and Thermal Energy for Carbon Dioxide Reduction: Status and Prospects

“…With the continuous growth in the world population and significant improvement in the living standards of human beings, energy consumption has soared in the last decades, especially in the non‐OECD countries (Figure a) . To date, 85 % of primary energy is derived from fossil fuels, including oil, coal, and natural gas, which points to severe energy shortages in the near future .…”

Stoichiometric methane conversion to ethane using photochemical looping at ambient temperature

“…They involve methane steam reforming, partial oxidation, autothermal reforming or Andrussow reaction [11][12][13] . The non-commercial routes for methane conversion can be divided into oxidative and non-oxidative ones [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] . The non-oxidative routes, such as methane aromatization, result in significant carbon deposition, while the oxidative routes, such as methane thermocatalytic coupling and methane partial oxidation, usually suffer from insufficient selectivity and abundant production of CO2.…”