Plasma catalytic reaction of methane with sol-gel-derived Pt/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst in dielectric-barrier discharge reactor

Abstract

Conversion of methane to higher hydrocarbons was studied in a dielectric-barrier discharge (DBD) reactor using a sol-gel-derived Pt/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst. Prepared catalysts were reduced using a novel method, which we name plasma-assisted reduction (PAR). The effects of the Pt loading and the calcination temperatures on methane conversion, selectivities, and yields of products were studied. C2H6, C2H4, and C2H2 were the main products in the DBD reactor in the absence of a catalyst, whereas the light alkanes C2H6, C3H8, and C4H10 were the main products in the presence of the Pt/gamma-Al2O3 catalyst. The selectivities of the light alkanes were enhanced with the Pt/r-Al2O3 catalysts after PAR compared with those reactions performed without catalyst. The highest yield of C2H6 was 16.1 % when 3 wt% Pt/gamma-Al2O3 was calcined at 600 T. Methane conversions were between 28.2 and 53.2 % depending on the Pt loading and calcination temperature.