Could another new discovery by Chinese scientists change the current situation in which China relies heavily on imports of ethane? ?

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Natural gas is more than just a fuel! ! ! Another new discovery by Chinese scientists: using methane anaerobic coupling photocatalysts to convert natural gas into ethane and hydrogen can help achieve low-carbon goals, while also addressing the issue of a shortage of chemical raw materials in our country and the need to import large amounts of ethane. Could this bring a new opportunity for Sichuan, which has abundant natural gas resources? ! -------------------------------------------------- On the 24th, it was learned from the University of Science and Technology of China that a research team led by Professors Xiong Yujie and Long Ran from this university, in collaboration with Associate Researcher Fu Cenfeng from Academician Yang Jinlong’s team and Professor Yao Yingfang from Academician Zou Zhigang’s team at Nanjing University, developed an innovative catalyst design that enabled the high-selective production of ethane and hydrogen, achieving efficiency on par with that of medium-temperature thermal catalysis for the anaerobic coupling of methane. The research findings were published in Nature Communications. Methane is the main component of natural gas, methane clathrates, biogas, etc., and is widely distributed in nature. How to convert the vast reserves of methane resources into fuels or chemical products with higher economic value holds significant scientific importance and practical prospects. The photocatalytic anaerobic coupling of methane is a highly attractive approach that enables the direct conversion of methane under mild conditions, simultaneously yielding polycyclic hydrocarbons and hydrogen. Xiong Yujie explained, “On the one hand, the photocatalytic anaerobic coupling method for methane does not require the two-step indirect conversion process involving mature methane reforming and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, thereby avoiding the disadvantages of complex processes, high energy consumption, and high production costs.” ； On the other hand, this method does not require harsh reaction conditions, avoiding the excessive oxidation of methane and the formation of by-products such as large amounts of carbon dioxide. ” Currently, the photocatalysts commonly used for anaerobic coupling of methane are mainly metal oxide semiconductor materials. Xiong Yujie said, “The lattice oxygen atoms in this photocatalyst readily over-oxidize methane, so some by-products such as carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide are still produced, leading to the complete deactivation of the catalyst.” ” To address this issue, the team led by Xiong Yujie and Long Ran proposed using a single-atom coordination loading method to regulate the valence band electron structure of the photocatalyst. This approach resulted in a highly stable coordination structure between single atoms and lattice oxygen, preventing lattice oxygen atoms from directly participating in the photocatalytic anaerobic coupling of methane. As a result, the performance of photocatalytic anaerobic methane coupling was improved, while excessive oxidation of methane was reduced. Based on this strategy, the research team achieved 0.7 grams of ethane per gram of catalyst per day, with a selectivity of 94.3%, while also producing a proportional amount of hydrogen. The researchers further improved the stability of lattice oxygen in the catalyst through element doping, thereby extending the stability of its catalytic performance, and provided a new approach for the development of efficient photocatalytic catalysts for the anaerobic coupling of methane. The reviewer stated: “This work makes it possible to convert methane into ethane via a photocatalytic pathway, demonstrating the appeal of single-atom catalysts.” ”