Inexpensive catalyst recycles methane emissions at room temperature

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Natural gas is a fossil fuel that is widely used in the U.S. for heating, cooking, and electricity generation, and it is also used as a chemical feedstock for the manufacture of plastics and other products. But because it consists primarily of the greenhouse gas methane, natural gas is one of the leading sources of methane emissions.

To recycle methane in the atmosphere, researchers worldwide are studying catalysts that can convert methane into useable fuels and other products. Recently, a research collaboration led by scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory developed an inexpensive catalyst that performs well and—critically—works at, or near, room temperature, which is key to developing real-life, widespread methane recycling applications.

"Researchers have been continually searching for a catalyst that can achieve methane conversion at moderate temperatures," said Brookhaven chemist Arephin Islam, the paper's lead author. "Our catalyst does not require temperatures well above 500 K (about 440°F), as many others do. It is also efficient and uses common, low-cost materials, making it potentially scalable to commercial applications."

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