UMD Researchers Convert Methane without Greenhouse Gas Emissions

by Catherine O'Brien Stephens (Maryland Today) Pioneering Discovery Would Cut Energy Waste, Create Valuable Industrial Chemicals -- ... But a cheap, simple way to convert natural gas to value-added chemicals creates an economic incentive not to waste this resource.

Dongxia Liu, associate professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Eric Wachsman, director of the Maryland Energy Innovation Institute and William L. Crentz Centennial Chair in Energy Research, have developed a method using a membrane reactor that transforms methane to higher-value hydrocarbons and hydrogen in a single step without requiring conventional costly and complicated separation schemes.

“This is a major breakthrough in the conversion of natural gas to major commodity chemicals not only in terms of the high yield achieved, but the fact that it is achieved with no GHG emissions,” Wachsman said. “The only byproduct is water.”

The method is also highly scalable—suitable not only for large-scale chemical production, but a potential game-changer with small-scale conversion of gas that would otherwise be burned off. Moreover, it provides the potential for major cost savings thanks to the inherent simplicity and efficiency of integrating catalysis and separation of the gas into in a single unit.

The resulting chemicals, including ethylene and benzene, are used in the production of a majority of consumer products, including everything from pharmaceuticals to plastics. READ MORE