Selective Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methane

About the Project

Methane emissions represent one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. Over a 20-year period, methane has a global warming potential 86 times greater than that of CO2 on a per-mass basis. Traditional CH4-conversion technologies, like steam reforming (SMR) and methanol synthesis, require large-scale infrastructure, making them impractical for the small, decentralized sources of CH4 found in these sectors. There is opportunity for low-energy, cost-effective, and modular technologies that can operate efficiently at smaller scales and in remote locations. We propose a highly innovative program involving use of our low-cost, 3-D printed reactor platform for the rapid testing and screening of catalytic gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs), which are not inherently limited by the gas solubilities in (aqueous) electrolytes, for electrochemical processes.

• To design, test and optimise gas diffusion electrodes in a 3-D printed reactor platform, for electrocatalytic methane oxidation.
• To develop electrochemical processes for the coupled conversion of methane and other molecules (e.g. ammonia) to value-added chemicals through C–X bond formation.

Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence Carbon Science and Innovation