Abstract
THE diminishing reserves of petroleum oil have focused attention on the possibility of making more efficient use of natural gas, reserves of which are at present considerably under-utilized. Methane is commonly used as a fuel, but it is also the starting material for the production, by steam reforming, of synthesis gas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen), which acts as a feedstock for the synthesis of ammonia and methanol, and can be converted to higher hydrocarbons, alcohols and aldehydes by Fischer–Tropsch catalysis1. The partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas is also an established industrial process2 but operates at very high temperatures (> 1,200 °C). Here we report that this reaction can be carried out at temperatures of only ∼775 °C by using lanthanide ruthenium oxide catalysts.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Henrici-Olivé, G. & Olivé, S. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Eng 15, 136–141 (1976).
Kirk, R. E. & Othmer, D. F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology 3rd Edn, Vol. 12, 952 (Wiley Interscience, New York, 1980).
Keller, G. E. & Bhasin, M. M. J. Catal. 73, 9–19 (1982).
Hutchings, G. J., Scurell, M. S. & Woodhouse, J. R. Chem. Soc. Rev. 18, 251–283 (1989).
Gesser, H. D., Hunter, N. R. & Prakash, C. B. Chem. Rev. 85, 235–244 (1985).
Spencer, N. D. & Pereira, C. J. J. Catal. 116, 399–406 (1989).
Ashcroft, A. T., Cheetham, A. K., Green, M. L. H., Grey, C. P. & Vernon, P. D. F. J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun. 21, 1667–1669 (1989).
Keim, W. (ed.) Catalysis in C1 Chemistry (Reidel, Dordrecht, 1983).
Rostrup-Nielsen, J. R. in Catalysis, Science & Technology Vol. 5 (eds. Anderson, J. R. & Boudart, M.) (Springer, Berlin, 1984).
Topp-Jørgensen, J. in Methane Conversion (eds Bibby, D. M., Chang, C. D., Howe, R. F. & Yurchak, S.) 293 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1988).
Bertaut, E. F., Forrat, F. & Montmory, M. C. Compt. Rend. (Paris) 249, 829–831 (1959).
Kim, K. S. & Winograd, N. J. Catal. 35, 66–72 (1972).
Ramqvist, L., Hamrin, K., Johansson, G., Fahlmann, A. & Nordling, C. J. Phys. Chem. Solids 30, 1835–1847 (1969).
Rabo, J. A., Risen, A. P. & Poutsma, H. L. J. Catal. 53, 295–305 (1978).
Winslow, P. & Bell, A. T. J. Catal. 91, 142–154 (1985).
Jackson, S. D., Thomson, S. J. & Webb, G. J. Catal. 70, 249–263 (1981).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ashcroft, A., Cheetham, A., Foord, J. et al. Selective oxidation of methane to synthesis gas using transition metal catalysts. Nature 344, 319–321 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/344319a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/344319a0
This article is cited by
-
Understanding the direct methane conversion to oxygenates on graphene-supported single 3d metal atom catalysts
Chemical Papers (2023)
-
Application of defective TiO2 inverse opal in photocatalytic non-oxidative CH4 coupling
Research on Chemical Intermediates (2022)
-
Zeolite-supported ultra-small nickel as catalyst for selective oxidation of methane to syngas
Communications Chemistry (2020)
-
The ruthenium pyrochlore Dy2Ru2O7(s): Stability and calorimetry
SN Applied Sciences (2020)
-
Dry reforming of methane using various catalysts in the process: review
Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery (2020)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.