A new scheme for direct methane oxidation to methanol was
proposed using a fuel cell-type reactor. The current efficiency for
methanol production and selectivity toward methanol were evaluated,
and the reaction mechanism was discussed with respect to
the generation of active oxygen species over catalyst active sites.
(1) Electrochemical methane oxidation was first inspected over
a Pt/C anode in a feed mixture of methane and H
O vapor at
various temperatures. The methane concentration was
decreased with the increase in current, the extent of which
became larger as the temperature increased. However, CO
and O
2
were the major products, where CO
concentration
increased with increasing temperature, while the O
2
concentration
decreased.
(2) Various electrodes comprised of non-platinum catalysts and
non-carbon supports were investigated as anodes for methanol
production. The production of methanol over the V
2
2
2
O
5
2
/