Catalysts and methods for methane dehydrogenation

Abstract

The present application pertains to a methane dehydrogenation process subjecting a methane feed to a novel SiO2 catalyst under dehydrogenation conditions and producing hydrogen, ethylene, an aromatic, or any mixture thereof. In another embodiment, the present application pertains to a novel catalyst for methane dehydrogenation. The catalyst comprises amorphous particles of SiO2. The amorphous particles have a particle size with a nominal diameter of from about 5 nm to 1 cm. The amorphous particles of SiO2 comprise a Lewis acidity sufficient to activate one or more C—H bonds in methane and generate one or more methyl radicals when the catalyst is subjected to methane dehydrogenation conditions. In another embodiment, the present application pertains to method of making the novel catalyst for methane dehydrogenation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.