CATALYTIC PARTIAL OXIDATION OF METHANE IN SUPERCRITICAL WATER

This communication reports on the feasibility of producing methanol and other partial oxidation products from methane during catalytic supercritical-water oxidation in a flow system. Even though only a few experiments were conducted, the results indicate that under a carefully controlled environment, methanol, formic acid, and other partial oxidation products can be selectively produced from methane during catalytic oxidation. The experiments were conducted at a fixed residence time and over a temperature range of 400 degrees C < T < 475 degrees C. Nitrogen containing 0.5% methane, and oxygen dissolved in water at atmospheric pressure, were used as the reactants. The catalysts used were Cr2O3/Al2O3 and MnO2/CeO.