2026-09-19T23:51:07Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/1096712026-06-16T18:52:37Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131022
Yuriy Román-Leshkov.
Narsimhan, Karthik
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Chemical Engineering
2017-06-06T19:24:34Z
2017-06-06T19:24:34Z
2017
2017
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/109671
988348200
Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, 2017.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 135-147).
As production of shale gas has increased greatly in the United States, the amount of stranded shale gas that is flared as carbon dioxide has become significant enough to be considered an environmental hazard and a wasted resource. The conversion of methane, the primary component of natural gas, into methanol, an easily stored liquid, is of practical interest. However, shale wells are generally inaccessible to reforming facilities, and construction of on-site, conventional methanol synthesis plants is cost prohibitive. Capital costs could be reduced by the direct conversion of methane into methanol at low temperature. Existing strategies for the partial oxidation of methane require harsh solvents, need exotic oxidizing agents, or deactivate easily. Copper-exchanged zeolites have emerged as candidates for methanol production due to high methanol selectivity (> 99%), utilization of oxygen, and low reaction temperature (423-473 K). Despite these advantages, three significant shortcomings exist: 1) the location of surface intermediates on the zeolite is not well understood; 2) methane oxidation is stoichiometric, not catalytic; 3) there are few active sites and methanol yield is low. This work addresses all three shortcomings. First, a new reaction pathway is identified for methane oxidation in copper-exchanged mordenite zeolites using tandem methane oxidation and Koch carbonylation reactions. Methoxy species migrate away from the copper active sites and adsorb onto Bronsted acid sites, signifying spillover on the zeolite surface. Second, a process is developed as the first instance of the catalytic oxidation of methane into methanol at low temperature, in the vapor phase, and using oxygen as the oxidant. A variety of commercially available copper-exchanged zeolites are shown to exhibit stable methanol production with high methanol selectivity. Third, catalytic methanol production rates and methane conversion are further improved 100- fold through the synthetic control of copper speciation in chabazite zeolites. Isolated monocopper species, directed through the one-pot synthesis of copper-exchanged chabazite zeolites, correlates with methane oxidation activity and is likely the precursor to the catalytic site. Together, these synthetic methods provide guidelines for catalyst design and further improvements in catalytic activity.
by Karthik Narsimhan.
Ph.D.
147 pages
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MIT theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed, downloaded, or printed from this source but further reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission.
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Chemical Engineering.
Catalytic, low temperature oxidation of methane into methanol over copper-exchanged zeolites
Thesis
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Publication
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<Abstract>As production of shale gas has increased greatly in the United States, the amount of stranded shale gas that is flared as carbon dioxide has become significant enough to be considered an environmental hazard and a wasted resource. The conversion of methane, the primary component of natural gas, into methanol, an easily stored liquid, is of practical interest. However, shale wells are generally inaccessible to reforming facilities, and construction of on-site, conventional methanol synthesis plants is cost prohibitive. Capital costs could be reduced by the direct conversion of methane into methanol at low temperature. Existing strategies for the partial oxidation of methane require harsh solvents, need exotic oxidizing agents, or deactivate easily. Copper-exchanged zeolites have emerged as candidates for methanol production due to high methanol selectivity (> 99%), utilization of oxygen, and low reaction temperature (423-473 K). Despite these advantages, three significant shortcomings exist: 1) the location of surface intermediates on the zeolite is not well understood; 2) methane oxidation is stoichiometric, not catalytic; 3) there are few active sites and methanol yield is low. This work addresses all three shortcomings. First, a new reaction pathway is identified for methane oxidation in copper-exchanged mordenite zeolites using tandem methane oxidation and Koch carbonylation reactions. Methoxy species migrate away from the copper active sites and adsorb onto Bronsted acid sites, signifying spillover on the zeolite surface. Second, a process is developed as the first instance of the catalytic oxidation of methane into methanol at low temperature, in the vapor phase, and using oxygen as the oxidant. A variety of commercially available copper-exchanged zeolites are shown to exhibit stable methanol production with high methanol selectivity. Third, catalytic methanol production rates and methane conversion are further improved 100- fold through the synthetic control of copper speciation in chabazite zeolites. Isolated monocopper species, directed through the one-pot synthesis of copper-exchanged chabazite zeolites, correlates with methane oxidation activity and is likely the precursor to the catalytic site. Together, these synthetic methods provide guidelines for catalyst design and further improvements in catalytic activity.</Abstract>
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