Partial Oxidation of Methane to Formaldehyde: A Theoretic-Experimental Approach to Process Design and Catalyst Development

The catalytic behaviour and steady-state redox properties of the precipitated silica catalyst in methane to formaldehdye partial oxidation (MPO) are addressed and basic relationships between the activity–selectivity pattern and operating conditions of the MPO process are outlined. A set of model equations, accounting for the influence of any experimental parameter (i.e., T, P, PCH4/PO2 ratio, τ) on the steady-state conditions of the catalyst surface and activity–selectivity pattern, constitutes a theoretical background for catalyst optimization and engineering of the MPO reaction.