An Experimental Study of Iron Phosphates as Methane CouplingCatalysts

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A new class of methane coupling catalysts has recently been discovered at the University of Michigan. These consist of iron phosphates promoted by molybdena or by vanadia. The purpose of this project is to fully characterize these new materials in order to facilitate their further development. Vibrational spectroscopy, X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron microprobe elemental analysis are used to determined the active species of iron phosphate and to optimize the relation between catalyst and promoter. These catalysts how great promise as an economical means to convert methane to liquid products (fuels or chemical feedstocks) under mild conditions. They may be practical for use at remote sites where natural gas is presently wasted because facilities to transport it are unavailable, although liquid products are collected. Examples of such sites are the North Slope of Alaska, the Australian Barrier Reef, and the desert fields of Algeria.