Catalytic and Electrocatalytic Methane Oxidation with Solid Gxide Membranes

Abstract

Natural gas is an inexpensive, abundant natural resource of which about 90% is methane [1]. Methane is a raw material of great synthetic importance. Nevertheless, methane is primarily used only as fuel from which CO₂ and H₂O are the combustion products. Total proven natural gas reserves and resources are over 1,500 trillion cubic feet, enough to last 75 years at the present rate of consumption (21. Recently, there has been a glut in natural gas, to which the response has been to conserve gas by capping wells. Furthermore, there is enough geopressured gas in the southern United States to possibly last a thousand years [2].