The methane-to-methanol (MtM) conversion via the oxygen looping approach using copper-exchanged zeolites has been extensively studied over the last decade. While a lot of research has focussed on maximizing yield and selectivity, little has been directed toward productivity-a metric far more meaningful for evaluating industrial potential. Using copper-exchanged zeolite omega (Cu-omega), a material highly active and selective for the MtM conversion using the isothermal oxygen looping approach, we show that this material exhibits unprecedented potential for industrial valorization. In doing so, we also present a novel methodology combining operando XAS and mass spectrometry for the screening of materials for the MtM conversion in oxygen looping mode.
Keywords: Copper-Zeolites; Kinetics; Methane-to-Methanol; Productivity; X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy.
© 2023 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.