Insights into the mechanisms and kinetics that control methane conversion processes

Theory and simulation are combined with rigorous kinetic experiments to provide a fundamental understanding of the site requirements and elementary steps that control reforming, partial oxidation and combustion of methane, methanol and DME on Pt and other transition metals over a wide range of operating conditions. The results reveal complex kinetic behavior that can be described by four unique kinetic regimes that form as consequence of the unique active sites and the coverages in each of these regimes. The surface kinetics are ultimately controlled by the reaction conditions which act to set the operating surface coverages. The results are used to establish general rules for how changes in the oxidant, the metal and the reaction conditions control C-H bond activation processes.