Volume 60, Issue 16 pp. 8889-8895
Research Article

Fe/Fe3C Boosts H2O2 Utilization for Methane Conversion Overwhelming O2 Generation

Yicheng Xing

Yicheng Xing

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Zheng Yao

Zheng Yao

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Wenyuan Li

Wenyuan Li

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Prof. Wenting Wu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Wenting Wu

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Prof. Xiaoqing Lu

Prof. Xiaoqing Lu

College of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Prof. Jun Tian

Prof. Jun Tian

State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433 P. R. China

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Zhongtao Li

Zhongtao Li

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Han Hu

Han Hu

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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Prof. Mingbo Wu

Corresponding Author

Prof. Mingbo Wu

State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, Institute of New Energy, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, 266580 P. R. China

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First published: 04 February 2021
Citations: 107

Graphical Abstract

In a heterogeneous Fenton-type FeNx/C catalyst, Fe-Nx sites and graphene-encapsulated Fe/Fe3C nanoparticles promote the efficient generation of hydroxyl radicals from H2O2 for the highly selective oxidation of methane to formic acid. The reaction mechanism at the active sites has been studied.

Abstract

H2O2 as a well-known efficient oxidant is widely used in the chemical industry mainly because of its homolytic cleavage into .OH (stronger oxidant), but this reaction always competes with O2 generation resulting in H2O2 waste. Here, we fabricate heterogeneous Fenton-type Fe-based catalysts containing Fe-Nx sites and Fe/Fe3C nanoparticles as a model to study this competition. Fe-Nx in the low spin state provides the active site for .OH generation. Fe/Fe3C, in particular Fe3C, promotes Fe-Nx sites for the homolytic cleavages of H2O2 into .OH, but Fe/Fe3C nanoparticles (Fe0 as the main component) with more electrons are prone to the undesired O2 generation. With a catalyst benefiting from finely tuned active sites, 18 % conversion rate for the selective oxidation of methane was achieved with about 96 % selectivity for liquid oxygenates (formic acid selectivity over 90 %). Importantly, O2 generation was suppressed 68 %. This work provides guidance for the efficient utilization of H2O2 in the chemical industry.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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