Title:

Photocatalytic Methane Conversion over Heteropoly Acid Based Catalysts

Catalytic conversion of methane to more valuable chemicals, particularly fuels, is a promising process that offers economic incentive and environmental benefits. Industrial methane conversion currently faces significant challenges, primarily the high energy requirements to maximize methane conversion. Elevated reaction temperature often leads to an uncontrolled distribution of desired and undesired products. This study investigated a photocatalytic approach for methane conversion to ethane and hydrogen through gold-modified heteropoly acid catalysts. Photocatalysis offers key advantages, methane conversion at ambient conditions and the potential use of free and abundant solar energy. By varying the morphologies of gold species, and altering pretreatment conditions, methane transformation was achieved as well as controlled selectivity to products, ethane and hydrogen. This work enables the development of a cost-effective approach to mitigate the environmental impact of methane while being a competitive source of revenue.

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