Paired Copper Monomers in Zeolite Omega
The Active Site for Methane-to-Methanol Conversion
Amy J. Knorpp (ETH Zürich)
Ana B. Pinar (Paul Scherrer Institut)
Christian Baerlocher (ETH Zürich)
Lynne B. McCusker (ETH Zürich)
Nicola Casati (Paul Scherrer Institut)
Mark A. Newton (ETH Zürich)
Stefano Checchia (European Synchrotron Radiation Facility)
Jordan Meyet (ETH Zürich)
Dennis Palagin (Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Catalysis and Sustainable Chemistry)
Jeroen A. van Bokhoven (Paul Scherrer Institut, ETH Zürich)
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Abstract
The direct conversion of methane to methanol using oxygen is a challenging but potentially rewarding pathway towards utilizing methane. By using a stepwise chemical looping approach, copper-exchanged zeolites can convert methane to methanol, but productivity is still too low for viable implementation. However, if the nature of the active site could be elucidated, that information could be used to design more effective catalysts. By employing anomalous X-ray powder diffraction with support from theory and other X-ray techniques, we have derived a quantitative and spatial description of the highly selective, active copper sites in zeolite omega (Cu-omega). This is the first comprehensive description of the structure of non-copper-oxo active species and will provide a pivotal model for future development for materials for methane to methanol conversion.