A group of researchers used light and dispersed transition metals to convert methane into methanol. Under ambient conditions of 25 C and 1 bar, the reaction was the best obtained to date for converting methane gas into liquid fuel.
The Greek word for weight is what inspired the term bar. The standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is 101,325 Pa.
The results of the study show that natural gas can be used as an alternative fuel source. Natural gas does not emit as much carbon dioxide as other liquid fuels in the same category.
Methanol is used to synthesise many products in Brazil and is a key component in the production of biodiesel.
Methane has 25 times the potential of CO 2 to contribute to global warming, which is why it's important to capture it from the atmosphere.
There is a debate about the size of the planet's methane reserves. They might have double the energy potential of all other fossil fuels. Marcos da Silva told Agncia FAPESP that in the transition to renewables, we will have to tap into all this methane. Silva is a student in the physics department of the Federal University of So Carlos.
The photocatalyst used in the study was a key innovation according to Ivo Freitas Teixeira, Silva's thesis advisor. He said that the group innovated by using a single stage. Under very high temperature and pressure conditions, hydrogen and CO 2 can be produced in at least two stages. It is a major step forward that we were able to obtain methanol under mild conditions.
The results pave the way for future research into the use of solar energy for this process, potentially reducing its environmental impact even further.
There are photocatalysts.
The scientists used non-noble or earth-abundant transition metals to create active visible-light photocatalysts in the lab.
The photocatalysts were used in methane oxidation reactions. A large amount of oxygenated liquid products were generated by the catalyst.
The best catalyst and other conditions essential to the chemical reaction, such as using a large amount of water and only a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, were discovered. Understanding more about the active copper sites in the material will be the next step. Oxygen will be used to make hydrogen peroxide in the reaction. The process should be safer and more economically viable if this succeeds.
The group will continue to look into copper. We work with metal. We didn't know what we were dealing with when we wrote the article. He said that they now know they are clusters.
In the future, the scientists will be able to extract methane from renewable sources. Methane has caused about 30% of global warming according to the United Nations. By the year 2045, methane emissions could be reduced by as much as 45%, avoiding a rise in the temperature.
The potential of the strategy of converting methane into liquid fuel using a photocatalyst is significant. Four years ago, we started our research. A study published in the journal Science by researchers affiliated with universities in the United States and United Kingdom motivated their own research.
More information: Marcos A. R. da Silva et al, Selective methane photooxidation into methanol under mild conditions promoted by highly dispersed Cu atoms on crystalline carbon nitrides, Chemical Communications (2022). DOI: 10.1039/D2CC01757A Journal information: Science , Chemical Communications Citation: Scientists reveal method of converting methane gas into liquid methanol (2022, August 2) retrieved 7 August 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2022-08-scientists-reveal-method-methane-gas.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
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