Promotion by strontium fluoride of neodymium oxide catalysis of the oxidative coupling of methane

Abstract

Catalytic performance measurements showed that CH4 conversion and C-2 selectivity were higher over SrF2/Nd2O3 catalyst than over pure Nd2O3 for the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). XRD indicated that there was some exchange of F- and O2-, leading to the formation of tetragonal and rhombohedral NdOF phases during the catalyst preparation. After a certain amount of SrF2 was added to Nd2O3, the increase in surface basicity and conductivity, as well as the role of F- on the dispersion of surface active sites, would be favourable to a decrease in the secondary deep oxidation of methyl radicals and C-2 hydrocarbons, giving improved C-2 selectivity. Since there is a certain correlation between methane conversion and C-2 selectivity for an oxygen-limited OChl reaction, methane conversion is also expected to increase with the increase in C-2 selectivity.