Performance of 3%Mo/ZSM‐5 catalyst in the presence of water during methane aromatization in supersonic jet expansion

The influence of water in the CH4 feed on the performance of 3%Mo/ZSM‐5 catalyst during methane direct aromatization under supersonic jet expansion (SJE) condition was investigated. We observed that both surface Mo2OxCy and β‐Mo2C species are catalytically active for methane aromatization under SJE condition. The presence of water can promote the removal of surface carbon before the generation of aromatic‐type and/or graphitic carbon. In appropriate amount, water can improve the stability of surface Mo2OxCy, and hence resulting in better catalytic performance. The study provided valuable information relevant to the direct utilization of methane hydrate.