Oluchukwu

The University of Texas at Arlington

Direct partial oxidation of methane to methanol over Nickel-Ceria/Alumina catalyst.

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Biography

Oluchukwu Virginia Igboenyesi obtained her master’s degree in Material Science and Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington where her research work was based on synthesis and characterization of alpha-manganese dioxide thin film as electrode material in supercapacitors. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Materials Chemistry under Frederick M MacDonnell Research lab at the Chemistry department in the University of Texas at Arlington. Her research work and experience are focused on synthesis, characterization, and modification of novel catalyst for the conversion of gases such as methane, syngas into liquid transportation fuels with appreciable volumetric energy density

Abstract

Oluchukwu Virginia Igboenyesi and Frederick MacDonnell

The University of Texas at Arlington, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

 

Practical processes for the conversion of methane to methanol via partial oxidation with air would be transformative for our energy economy and have numerous positive environmental impacts.  Liquid methanol is attractive fuel with appreciable energy density (15MJ/L), is easily transported, and can be adapted to many engine types.

                    CH4 (g) + ½ O2 (g)  à  CH3OH (l)           ?G = -115.4 kJ/mol

We explored the partial oxidation of methane over supported nickel catalysts under low conversion conditions, temperatures below 300oC, pressures near 1 bar, and steam flow rate less than 20ml/hour.

Our preliminary study was focused on finding the right catalyst and reaction conditions. Our catalyst was synthesized by insipient wetness impregnation of the nickel salts on alumina support followed by calcination to convert to the metal oxide which was then reduced in the presence of hydrogen to activate the catalyst. The activity and productivity of our catalyst was tested in a tubular fixed bed reactor under CH4, O2 and H2O at different flow rates and temperatures to optimize the reaction condition.

The reaction conditions gave only methanol productivity of 17µg/ghr and up to 60% activity to methane conversion at temperature below 300oC and pressure less than 2 bar after a 20hour reaction of CH4 and O2 in the presence of H2O. Only low yields have been observed but the parametric study is ongoing.