Chemisorption study of hydrogen and methane by 1H MAS NMR and conversion of methane in the presence of ethylene on Ag-Y zeolite Original Research Article

1H MAS NMR showed that hydrogen dissociatively adsorbs on Ag-Y and generates acidic protons and silver-hydride species (Agn-H). The peak due to Agn-H was observed at −0.1 ppm together with peaks due to acidic protons in the supercages (3.9 ppm) and in the sodalite cages (4.7 ppm). The hydrogen chemisorption on Ag-Y is reversible. Thus, the peaks at 3.9 and −0.1 ppm disappeared by evacuating the Ag-Y at 313 K, and the intensities of these peaks recovered by re-exposing the evacuated sample to hydrogen at 313 K. Adsorption of methane on Ag-Y at 423 K also gave rise to the peak due to Agn-H, indicating that heterolytic dissociation of CH4 proceeds on Agn-Y. ZO−Agn++CH4→Agn-H+ZOδ−CH3δ+ The reaction of CH4 with C2H4 proceeded to give C3H6 on Agn-Y at 673 K. These results demonstrate that methane is easily activated on Ag-Y.