Chain modification of gaseous methane using aqueous electrochemical activation at a three-phase interface

Abstract

In a first aspect, a method for chain modification of hydrocarbons and organic compounds comprises: contacting an aqueous electrolyte, a powered electrode including a catalyst, and a gaseous methane feedstock in a reaction area; and activating the methane in an aqueous electrochemical reaction to generate methyl radicals at the powered electrode and yield a Song chained hydrocarbon. In a second aspect, method for chain modification of hydrocarbons and organic compounds comprises: contacting an aqueous electrolyte with a catalyst in a reaction area; introducing a gaseous methane feedstock directly into the reaction area under pressure; and reacting the aqueous electrolyte, the catalyst, and the gaseous methane feedstock at temperatures in the range of −10 C to 1000 C and at pressures in the range of 0.1 ATM to 100 ATM.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method for chain modification of hydrocarbons and organic compounds comprising:
 contacting an aqueous electrolyte, a powered electrode including a catalyst, and a gaseous methane feedstock in a reaction area; and   activating the methane in an aqueous electrochemical reaction to generate methyl radicals at the powered electrode to yield a product.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein gaseous methane feedstock is a methane stream or natural gas. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product includes long chained hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the product includes ethylene, butane, or octane. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the product further includes methanol and higher alcohols. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the product includes alcohols. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the alcohols include methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal, an inorganic salt of a metal, or an organometallic compound. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte includes Alkali or Alkaline Earth Salts. 
     
     
         10 . A method for chain modification of hydrocarbons and organic compounds comprising:
 contacting an aqueous electrolyte with a catalyst in a reaction area;   introducing a gaseous methane feedstock directly into the reaction area; and   reacting the aqueous electrolyte, the catalyst, and the gaseous methane feedstock at temperatures in the range of −10 C to 1000 C and at pressures in the range of 0.1 ATM to 100 ATM.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein gaseous methane feedstock is a methane stream or natural gas. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein reacting the aqueous electrolyte, the catalyst, and the gaseous methane feedstock includes powering the reaction electrodes. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein reacting the aqueous electrolyte, the catalyst, and the gaseous methane feedstock includes shorting out the reaction electrodes within the electrolyte while maintaining a three phase interface. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein introducing the aqueous electrolyte into contact with the reaction electrode includes introducing the aqueous electrolyte into direct contact with a gas diffusion electrode. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein introducing the aqueous electrolyte into contact with the reaction electrode includes introducing liquid reactants into direct contact with a gas diffusion electrode. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the supported catalyst is a solid; and   the reaction occurs at a three-phase interface between the aqueous electrolyte, the solid catalyst, and the gaseous methane feedstock.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising leaving the aqueous electrolyte unfiltered during the reaction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the catalyst comprises a metal, an inorganic salt of a metal, or an organometallic compound. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the catalyst contains an element selected from the group comprising copper, silver, gold, nickel, iron, tin, zinc, ruthenium, platinum, palladium, rhenium, and a lanthanide metal. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the catalyst contains an organometallic salt of an element selected from the group comprising copper, silver, gold, nickel, iron, tin, zinc, ruthenium, platinum, palladium, rhenium, and a lanthanide metal. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the catalyst is Cuprous Chloride or Cuprous Oxide. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte includes Alkali or Alkaline Earth Salts. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the Alkali or alkaline Earth Salts include Halides, Sulfates, sulfites, Carbonates, Nitrates or Nitrites. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte is selected from the group comprising magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sulfuric acid, potassium chloride, hydrogen chloride), potassium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide, sea salt, and brine. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte is selected from the group comprising magnesium sulfate, sodium chloride, sulfuric acid, potassium chloride, hydrogen chloride), potassium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide, sea salt, and brine. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the aqueous electrolyte has a concentration of between 0.1 M-3 M. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the reaction electrode is a gas diffusion electrode. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the gas diffusion electrode is coated with a copper containing salt. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the product includes long chained hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the product includes ethylene. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the product further includes methanol and higher alcohols. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the product includes alcohols. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the alcohols include methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol