(64a) Catalytic Partial and Complete Oxidation of Methane Over the Catalysts with Ordered Macroporous Strucures in a Microchannel Reactor

Catalytic microchannel reactors have many advantages over conventional chemical reactors stemming from their high surface-to-volume ratio and high heat transfer. Partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas has been investigated extensively. It can benefit from microchannel reactors because the partial oxidation is a fast exothermic reaction. Meanwhile, complete catalytic oxidation of methane in the microchannel could provide heat efficiently to the reformer in the micro fuel cell system. In this study, the ordered macroporous ceramics were prepared on the wall of microchannel. The partial and complete oxidation reactions of methane over Rh-based and Pd-based catalysts supported on the coated ceramics respectively were investigated.

Ceramic sol was infiltrated into the void of the PMMA opal structure formed in the microchannel. The dried sol in the opal structure was calcinated to fabricate the ordered macroporous supports. For comparison, the ceramic supports with random macropores were prepared by coating the suspension of PMMA particles, ceramic nanoparticles and binding materials on the wall of microchannel. The overall activity of the catalyst on the ordered macroporous support could improve due to the enhancement of heat and mass transfer.