Electrochemical Methane Activation and Conversion to Oxygenates at Room Temperature

Methane was electrochemically activated at room temperature to CH 3 OH, HCHO, CO and HCOO − and other low molecular weight oxygenates at room temperature using CO 3 2− as an oxygen-donating species over a NiO-ZrO 2 bifunctional electrocatalyst. Products were identified using Mass Spectrometry and 1 H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. O 2 and CO 2 were also observed as products resulting from carbonate electrolysis and/or the oxygen evolution reaction. Methane was adsorbed and activated by NiO while CO 3 2− was adsorbed onto non-conducting ZrO 2 . Oxygen was then abstracted and donated from CO 3 2− to electrocatalytically active sites to form new C-O or O-H bonds. This proposed low temperature electrochemical partial oxidation of methane may provide a new pathway for the synthesis of complex oxygenates and long chain hydrocarbons.