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Partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas

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Abstract

Partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas has been carried out over a number of transition metal catalysts under a range of conditions. It is found that the metals Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir and Pt, either supported on alumina or present in mixed metal oxide precursors, will bring the system to equilibrium. The yield of CO and H2 improves with increasing temperature in the range 650–1050 K, and decreases with increasing pressure between 1 and 20 atm. An excellent yield (∼92%) is obtained with a 4∶2∶1 N2∶CH4∶O2 ratio at 1050 K and atmospheric pressure, with a space velocity of 4×104 hour−1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, OX1 3QR, Oxford, UK

    Patrick D. F. Vernon & Malcolm L. H. Green

  2. Chemical Crystallography Laboratory, University of Oxford, 9 Parks Rd., OX1 3PD, Oxford, UK

    Anthony K. Cheetham & Alexander T. Ashcroft

  3. Davy Faraday Research Laboratory, The Royal Institution of Great Britain, 21 Albemarle St., W1X 4BS, London, UK

    Anthony K. Cheetham

Authors
  1. Patrick D. F. Vernon
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  2. Malcolm L. H. Green
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  3. Anthony K. Cheetham
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  4. Alexander T. Ashcroft
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Vernon, P.D.F., Green, M.L.H., Cheetham, A.K. et al. Partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas. Catal Lett 6, 181–186 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00774718

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00774718

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