Oxidative coupling of methane using catalysts synthesized by solution combustion method

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a one-step technique for the preparation of nanostructured complex metal oxides. In the present study, SCS was used for the synthesis of several promising oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) catalyst series with varying metal ratios: (a) Sr–Al complex oxides, (b) La2O3, (c) La–Sr–Al complex oxides and (d) Na2WO4–Mn/SiO2. The C2 yield and ethylene/ethane ratio were measured for each catalyst over a wide range of temperatures. It was found that the double perovskite phase is active for OCM in the Sr–Al complex oxide series. The Na2WO4–Mn/SiO2 catalyst synthesized by SCS was stable and also showed high ethylene/ethane ratio ∼2 along with high C2 yield ∼25%, which is among the highest value reported in the literature, indicating that SCS is a promising method to prepare OCM catalysts.

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► Solution combustion is successfully used for synthesis of OCM catalysts.
► Sr–Al, La2O3, La–Sr–Al mixed oxides and Na2WO4–Mn/SiO2 are effective catalysts.
► The double perovskite phase in the Sr–Al oxides is active for OCM.
► Na2WO4–Mn/SiO2 shows highest catalytic activity, maximum C2 yield ∼25%.