This report describes work in progress on three tasks: (1) Catalytic steam gasification of coals and cokes; (2) Oxidative coupling of methane; and (3) Synthesis and characterization of catalysts. Since Task 1 is complete, a final report has been written. This report describes membrane reactors, cyclic methane conversion reactors, theoretical descriptions of reaction-separation schemes, and time-space relationships in cyclic and membrane reactors, all subtasks of Task 2. Initial studies under Task 3 are briefly described.

This report describes research on the oxidative coupling of methane and catalysts involved in coal gasification. Topics include methane pyrolysis and catalysts, and magnetic properties of the coal gasification catalyst Ca-Ni-K-O system.

Research continued on the study of catalysts and membrane materials involved in the oxidative coupling of methane and coal gasification processes. Membranes studied and fabricated included Sr-Zr-Y-O, Sr-Zr-Y, and Sr-Ce-Y-O systems.

The synthesis of ethane and ethylene from methane and oxygen will be carried out in novel hydrogen transport inorganic membranes and in cyclic reactors in order to prevent undesirable secondary reactions of C2 molecules to CO and CO2. Neither inorganic membrane reactors nor cyclic tubular reactors are presently used in commercial processes. Their application to catalytic reactions represents a novel application of engineering and solid-state chemistry concepts to catalytic reactions. Our approach combines high temperature membrane and cyclic experimental reactors, synthesis and characterization of thin membrane films and of high surface area catalysts, and detailed models of complex gas phase and surface reactions involved in oxidative coupling. We anticipate that this approach will lead to novel reactors for carrying our kinetic-controlled sequential reactions, such as the oxidative coupling of methane. Careful spectrographic and wet chemical analyses of fresh and silent catalysts have shown considerable differences which have permitted conclusions as to the source of deactivation. Our activities in the first quarter FYI 995 have focused on the synthesis, structural characterization, and catalytic evaluation of membrane films, disks, and reactors. We have also continued to exploit reaction-transport models to predict the performance of membrane, cyclic, and recycle reactors in the oxidative coupling of methane.