Photocatalytic Methane Conversion

Natural gas (methane), as an earth-abundant carbon source, has been used for numerous applications, from being an energy source to a feedstock for chemicals manufacture.  However, low volume energy density and requirement of long chain hydrocarbons highlight the importance of converting methane into transportable liquid fuels (e.g. ethanol) and high-value chemicals (e.g. ethylene and benzene). 

The project aims to investigate the feasibility of methane activation by photocatalysis. The catalytic yield, selectivity and efficiency of the prepared photocatalysts will be investigated and the reaction mechanism will be discovered by devise spectroscopies (e.g. Uv-Vis, FTIR, NMR) and advance material characterisation technologies (e.g.XPS, XRD, Ramen, SEM, TEM).

Projects 

• Photocatalytic Partial Oxidation of Methane. (Founded by China Scholarship Council)
• Combined Reforming and Partial Oxidation of methane to value added chemicals driven by Photocatalysis.

Selected Publications

Li, X., Xie, J., Rao, H., Wang, C., Tang, J. (2020). Pt and CuOx decorated TiO2 photocatalyst for oxidative coupling of methane to C2 hydrocarbons in a flow reactor.. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, doi:10.1002/anie.202007557

Xie, J., Jin, R., Li, A., Bi, Y., Ruan, Q., Deng, Y., ...Ma, D. (2018). Highly selective oxidation of methane to methanol at ambient conditions by titanium dioxide-supported iron species. NATURE CATALYSIS, 1 (11), 889-896. doi:10.1038/s41929-018-0170-x