ECLIPSE: Controlling Transport-Kinetics Coupling at Plasma-Catalyst-Liquid Interfaces for Selective Methane Oxidation

This project will use electricity to turn methane gas, a greenhouse gas, into a useful fuel. The research will focus on a process called plasma-catalysis, which uses plasma, a gas made up of electrically charged particles, to help convert methane into useful products. The project will help understand how to control and speed up this conversion process while using electrical energy efficiently. The team will also study a material called copper oxide (CuO) to learn why it works well in the reaction and whether other materials could be just as effective. To achieve these goals, the PI will design systems to better control the reaction, test different materials, and use advanced tools to study how the reaction works. Overall, this project could lead to cleaner energy sources, more efficient fuel production, and reduced pollution by finding better ways to use methane gas. This project will advance methane oxidation technologies by utilizing nonthermal plasma to enable selective, low-temperature conversion of methane to methanol, addressing the growing demand for sustainable and carbon-neutral fuel production. The approach leverages the non-equilibrium energy distribution generated by nonthermal plasma, which activates methane and water molecules without the high thermal requirements associated with conventional catalytic oxidation processes. The project will have three primary objectives: (1) develop and optimize monolithic catalyst architectures that promote efficient methane oxidation while suppressing undesired byproduct formation; (2) investigate the dual role of water as both a reactant and quenching agent at plasma–catalyst–liquid interfaces to improve methanol selectivity; and (3) evaluate the feasibility of nonthermal plasma in liquid-phase environments for the low-temperature synthesis of liquid oxygenates from methane. The research will integrate experimental and theoretical methodologies. Monolithic catalysts will be fabricated using advanced 3D-printing techniques, followed by conformal integration and dimensional transport analysis to optimize reactor performance and mass-transfer characteristics. Water-level mode analysis and isotope-labeling experiments will be conducted to elucidate reaction pathways and clarify the mechanistic role of water during plasma-assisted oxidation. In addition, a comprehensive catalyst library will be established to evaluate material-dependent behavior and generalize plasma-catalytic performance trends across multiple catalyst systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2610398 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Dayne Swearer | Institution: Northwestern University at Chicago, EVANSTON, IL | Award Amount: $450,000 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2610398 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2610398.html