MIT’s chemical engineers have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against climate change by developing a new catalyst that converts methane gas into valuable polymers.
While methane is less abundant than carbon dioxide (CO2), it is far more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere, making it a critical target for greenhouse gas reduction efforts.
Michael Strano, senior author of the study, emphasizes the dual challenge of managing methane, “It’s a source of carbon, and we want to keep it out of the atmosphere but also turn it into something useful.”
Methane is produced through natural processes by bacteria called methanogens, commonly found in landfills, swamps, and agricultural settings.
Methane capturing
Methane accounts for about 15 percent of the rise in global temperatures, intensifying the urgency for effective solutions.
The new catalyst designed by the MIT team operates at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, making it feasible for deployment in areas with high methane production, such as power plants and cattle farms.
Lead authors of the study, Daniel Lundberg and Jimin Kim, highlight the catalyst’s potential economic advantages over existing methods that require extreme temperatures and pressures.
Historically, converting methane into other compounds has been a challenge due to the energy required for its reactions.
To overcome this, the researchers created a hybrid catalyst using a zeolite, an abundant and inexpensive mineral, and a naturally occurring enzyme called alcohol oxidase.
Previous research has shown that zeolites can convert methane to carbon dioxide; however, the new approach aims to transform methane into more beneficial compounds without high energy input.
The novel catalyst facilitates a two-step reaction: first, the zeolite converts methane into methanol, and then the enzyme processes methanol into formaldehyde.
This method also generates hydrogen peroxide, replenishing the zeolite and providing a continuous oxygen supply for the conversion process.
Sustainable textile
The innovation lies in utilizing a combination of enzymes and artificial catalysts, which, according to Damien Debecker, a professor from the University of Louvain, Belgium, is a groundbreaking approach.
“By unlocking this constraint, hybrid catalysis opens new perspectives for running complex reactions in a more efficient manner,” Debecker notes, even though he was not part of the research team.
The practical applications of this catalyst extend beyond mere conversion.
After producing formaldehyde, the researchers demonstrated that adding urea—a nitrogen-containing compound—creates a resin-like polymer known as urea-formaldehyde, commonly used in products like particle board and textiles.
Further, the team envisions using this catalyst in natural gas transportation systems.
By implementing it within pipelines, the catalyst could generate a polymer that seals cracks, which are known culprits for methane leaks.
Additionally, the technology could be applied as a coating on surfaces exposed to methane, allowing polymers to be collected for further manufacturing purposes.
Looking ahead, Strano’s lab is also exploring catalysts that could capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and combine it with nitrate to produce urea.
This urea could then be mixed with the formaldehyde generated by the new catalyst, creating a sustainable cycle for utilizing greenhouse gases.
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The study, which appeared in Nature Catalysis, was funded by the US Department of Energy.
The development of this hybrid catalyst not only presents a promising method for managing methane emissions but paves the way for creating valuable materials from a significant greenhouse gas, showcasing the interconnectedness of sustainability and innovation.
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Kapil Kajal Kapil Kajal is an award-winning journalist with a diverse portfolio spanning defense, politics, technology, crime, environment, human rights, and foreign policy. His work has been featured in publications such as Janes, National Geographic, Al Jazeera, Rest of World, Mongabay, and Nikkei. Kapil holds a dual bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronics, and Communication Engineering and a master’s diploma in journalism from the Institute of Journalism and New Media in Bangalore.
