Oxidative coupling of methane. The effect of strontium and sodium dopants on catalytic performance of Y2O3, a p-type semiconductor material Original Research Article

Oxidative coupling of methane to higher hydrocarbons was investigated using a p-type semiconductor catalyst, Y2O3, doped with Sr2+ and Na+ cations at 1 atm pressure. The ratio of methane partial pressure to oxygen partial pressure was changed from 6 to 40 and temperature was kept constant at 1023 K in the experiments conducted in a co-feed mode. Both C2+ selectivities and % CH4 conversion were substantially higher for the case of Sr/Y2O3 (1:10 mole ratio) catalyst as compared to the undoped Y2O3 catalyst at constant PCH4/PO2 ratios. For the case of Na-doped Y2O3 catalysts, C2H4 selectivity was observed to be nearly zero. Ethane selectivities increased in the order of Y2O3