Scalable In-Situ Synthesis of H2o2 for Highly Selective Converstion of Methane to Methanol in Water at Room Temperature

Abstract

Scalable in-situ synthesis of H2O2 for selective conversion of methane to methanol is of great improtance but presents a challenge in pure water with solar light. Photocatalytic in-situ synthesis of H2O2 is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach for promoting selective conversion of methane to methanol. Herein, a low-energy light responding metal-organic framework (U-NH2) is constructed through NH2 modification. The optimal U-NH2 catalyst exhibits exceptional generation of H2O2 through oxygen reducing reacton in pure water. The in-situ formed H2O2 subsequently performs Fenton-reaction to generate ·OH radicals, which are significantly important for partial oxidation of CH4 to CH3OH. Apart from enhancing visible-light absorption, the dominate roles of amino in U-NH2 could facilitate both charge separation and transfer which are unambiguously essential for in-situ synthesis of H2O2 in methane oxidation system. Consequently, this report first presents an appealing green avenue for regulating in-situ synthesis of H2O2 with low-energy solar light and thereby advancing selective conversion of methane to methanol in neutral water.

Keywords: methane, Hydrogen peroxide, methanol, visible light, room temperature