Northwestern University plasma method makes methanol from methane without heat-and-pressure
Northwestern University scientists have found a new way to make methanol from methane using plasma, skipping the need for super high heat and pressure.
Their process zaps methane with electricity inside a reactor, creating reactive fragments that quickly bond into methanol.
Water is added right away to keep things stable and stop unwanted carbon dioxide from forming.
Argon addition produces hydrogen and ethylene
This plasma method uses less energy and has a smaller environmental footprint than old-school techniques.
By adding argon, the team made the reaction even smoother and got extra useful stuff like hydrogen and ethylene as byproducts.
Co-author Dayne Swearer says this could let us turn harmful methane emissions into liquid fuel right at their source.
The team is now focused on making the system run even better and refining how they purify the methanol they make.