(583aq) Activation of Chemical Reactions Through Corona Discharge: Partial Oxidation of Methane

Activation
of Chemical Reactions through Corona Discharge:

Partial
Oxidation of Methane

Peter
Kreider, Yousef Alanazi, Justin Pommerenck, Alex Yokochi

Activation of otherwise non-spontaneous chemical
reactions usually requires addition of external activating energy resources
including catalysts, sacrificial chemical energy sources (e.g., LiAlH4 in many
organic reactions), heat, ultrasound, light and high voltage electrical
discharge.  Recently, our lab has started
investigation of the activation of chemical reactions employing low voltage
electrical corona discharge.  We achieve low
voltage corona discharge via the application of high aspect ratio materials
(i.e. carbon nanotubes) in microreactor channels. Using this approach, we have previously
demonstrated efficient and inexpensive methods for advanced oxidation of
chemical compounds including the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
in wastewater treatment and of sulfur containing species in petrochemical
fuels.

In our recent work, microchannel devices were fabricated
in order to assess the feasibility of using corona discharge to facilitate the
partial oxidation of methane to methanol. A precursor to a predictive, finite-difference
model has been constructed for evaluation of the relative importance of
reaction engineering parameters. Results of this ongoing research project will
be discussed.