In-Situ FT-IR Investigation of Partial Oxidation of Methane to Syngas over Rh/SiO2 Catalyst

Partial oxidation of methane to syngas (POM) over Rh/SiO2 catalyst was investigated using in-situ FT-IR. When methane interacted with 1.0wt%Rh/SiO2 catalyst, it was dissociated to adsorbed hydrogen and CHx species. The adsorbed hydrogen atoms were transferred to SiO2 surface by “spill-over” and reacted with lattice oxygen to form surface −OH species. POM mechanism was investigated over Rh/SiO2 catalyst using in-situ FT-IR. It was found that CO2 was formed before CO could be detected when CH4 and O2 were introduced over the preoxidized Rh/SiO2 catalyst, whereas CO was detected before CO2 was formed over the prereduced Rh/SiO2 catalyst.