Back to results
US 11,898,258 B2Granted
Electrochemical oxidation of methane to methanol
AssigneeB. G. Negev Technologies and Applications Ltd., At Ben-Gurion University
InventorsEliyaho Korin, Armand Bettelheim, Lior Frimet, Amir Kaplan, Yanir Kadosh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention provides an electrochemical system for manufacturing methanol from methane in good yields and without admixtures of methanol oxidation products. A fuel cell for methane or methanol utilization is also provided.
Claims15
An electrochemical cell for oxidizing methane (CH4) to methanol (CH3OH), comprising
- i) an electrode comprising nickel in an oxidized form selected from the group consisting of nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2), nickel oxide hydroxide (NiOOH), and nickel foam;
- ii) an electrolyte comprising a base, such as a hydroxide or carbonate comprising solution, in contact with said electrode;
- iii) pressurized CH4 source configured to deliver gaseous CH4 to an electrode surface;
- iv) voltage source connected with said electrode;
- and
- v) means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH near the surface of said electrode;
- wherein said cell produces CH3OH when an electric current flows through the cell;
- and
- wherein said means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH comprises a catalytic bilayer coating on the surface of said electrode.
6 more elements
A process for producing methanol (CH3OH) from methane (CH4), comprising
- i) providing an electrochemical cell having an anode in contact with aqueous KOH and an inert cathode;
- ii) electrochemically creating a Ni(OH)2/NiOOH layer on said anode, preferably on a nickel foam;
- iii) delivering and dispersing pressurized CH4 from a pressurized source to the interface between said anode and said aqueous KOH;
- iv) applying direct voltage on said electrodes resulting in direct current in said cell, resulting in oxidation of said CH4 to CH3OH;
- and
- v) employing means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH near a surface of said electrode, said means preventing oxidation of said CH3OH;
- wherein said methanol is collected or further used in a fuel cell as an energy source;
- and
- wherein said anode is coated with a carbon paper substrate onto which a catalytic bilayer is formed consisting of a Ni(OH)2/NiOOH layer in contact with said substrate and an electropolymerized manganese, or iron or ruthenium, porphyrin layer in contact with said Ni(OH)2/NiOOH.
6 more elements
A process for producing methanol (CH3OH) from methane (CH4), comprising
- i) providing an electrochemical cell having an anode in contact with aqueous KOH and an inert cathode;
- ii) electrochemically creating a Ni(OH)2/NiOOH layer on said anode, preferably on a nickel foam;
- iii) delivering and dispersing pressurized CH4 from a pressurized source to the interface between said anode and said aqueous KOH;
- iv) applying direct voltage on said electrodes resulting in direct current in said cell, resulting in oxidation of said CH4 to CH3OH;
- and
- v) employing means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH near a surface of said electrode, said means preventing oxidation of said CH3OH;
- wherein said methanol is collected or further used in a fuel cell as an energy source;
- and
- (vi) electrochemically creating a manganese, or iron or ruthenium, porphyrin layer after said step of electrochemically creating the layer of Ni(OH)2/NiOOH, forming a catalytic bilayer efficiently oxidizing CH4 to CH3OH in said step iv) thereby also creating means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH near the surface of said electrode and precluding the oxidation of methanol.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.