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US-20260125804-A1 - Doped Barium Niobate Catalyst for Cogeneration of Electricity and Syngas from Methane

US20260125804A1US 20260125804 A1US20260125804 A1US 20260125804A1US-20260125804-A1

Abstract

A syngas production method includes introducing oxygen to a reactor which may include a catalyst. The syngas production method includes introducing methane to the reactor, and forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of the methane, and where the catalyst may include a barium niobate-based perovskite structure having a chemical formula of Ba 1−x (AE) x Nb 1−(y+z) (AE) y M z O 3−δ , where AE is an alkaline earth (AE) element and M is a metal. M may include a transition metal or a rare earth metal. AE may include Mg, Ca, Sr, or a combination thereof. AE may include K, Rb, Cs, or a combination thereof. M may include Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, W, Ta, Pr, or a combination thereof. M may include Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Zr, Mo, La, Ce, Sm, Gd, W or a combination thereof.

Inventors

  • Kannan RAMAIYAN
  • Fernando Garzon

Assignees

  • UNM RAINFOREST INNOVATIONS

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251029

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A syngas production method, comprising: introducing oxygen to a reactor comprising a catalyst; introducing methane to the reactor; and forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of the methane; and wherein: the catalyst comprises a barium niobate-based perovskite structure having a chemical formula of Ba 1−x (AE) x Nb 1−(y+z) (AE) y M z O 3−δ wherein AE is an alkaline earth (AE) element and M is a metal.
  2. 2 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein M comprises a transition metal or a rare earth metal.
  3. 3 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein AE comprises Mg, Ca, Sr, or a combination thereof.
  4. 4 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein AE comprises K, Rb, Cs or a combination thereof.
  5. 5 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein M comprises Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, W, Ta, Pr, or a combination thereof.
  6. 6 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein M comprises Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Zr, Mo, La, Ce, Sm, Gd, W or a combination thereof.
  7. 7 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein x is from 0 to about 0.60.
  8. 8 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein y is from 0 to about 0.80.
  9. 9 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein z is from 0 to about 0.80.
  10. 10 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein the barium niobate-based perovskite structure has the chemical formula of BaCa 0.33 Nb 0.67−x M x O 3−δ and BaMg 0.33 Nb 0.67−x M x O 3−δ where M is one or more of Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, or Pr and M is from about x=0 to about x=0.33.
  11. 11 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen and methane are introduced into the reactor in a stoichiometric ratio between 1:1 to 1:19.
  12. 12 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , further comprising: combining the catalyst with silicon carbide; and placing the combined catalyst and silicon carbide in the reactor.
  13. 13 . The syngas production method of claim 1 , further comprising supplying the oxygen to a membrane comprising the catalyst.
  14. 14 . A syngas production method, comprising: feeding methane into a reactor, the reactor comprising a solid oxide fuel cell comprising: an anode comprising a catalyst; a cathode; and an electrolyte positioned between the anode and the cathode; feeding oxygen into the reactor at the cathode; and producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen at the anode; and wherein the methane is fed into the reactor at the anode.
  15. 15 . The syngas production method of claim 14 , wherein the anode further comprises an ionic conductor selected from the group consisting of Gd-Doped Ceria, Sm-Doped Ceria, and a combination thereof.
  16. 16 . The syngas production method of claim 14 , wherein the anode further comprises an electronic conductor selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, and a combination thereof.
  17. 17 . The syngas production method of claim 14 , wherein the electrolyte comprises yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), lanthanum strontium gallium magnesium oxide (LSGM), yttria-doped barium zirconate (BZY), or a combination thereof.
  18. 18 . The syngas production method of claim 14 , further comprising producing electricity as an additional product of the production method.
  19. 19 . A syngas production method, comprising: introducing oxygen to a reactor comprising a catalyst; introducing methane to the reactor; and forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of the methane; and wherein the catalyst comprises a barium niobate-based perovskite structure having a chemical formula of Ba 1−x (AE) x Nb 1−(y+z) (AE) y M z O 3−δ wherein AE is an alkaline earth (AE) element and M is a metal; and the reactor further comprises a solid oxide fuel cell comprising a cathode, an electrolyte, and an anode comprising the catalyst.
  20. 20 . The syngas production method of claim 19 , wherein the barium niobate-based perovskite structure has the chemical formula of BaCa 0.33 Nb 0.67−x M x O 3−δ and BaMg 0.33 Nb 0.67−x M x O 3−δ ; and wherein M is one or more of Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, or Pr; M is from about x=0 to about x=0.33; and AE comprises Mg, Ca, Sr, or a combination thereof.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/715,262, filed on Nov. 1, 2024, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST This invention was made with government support under 1647722 awarded by the National Science Foundation. The government has certain rights in the invention. TECHNICAL FIELD The present teachings relate generally to niobate catalysts and, more particularly, to their use in synthetic gas generation. BACKGROUND Methane, the principal component of natural gas and shale gas, is an abundant and inexpensive carbon source but is often wasted through flaring, contributing to more than 500 million tons of CO2 emissions annually. The partial oxidation of methane to synthesis gas (syngas), a key intermediate for the production of liquid fuels and valuable chemicals, remains a process of significant industrial importance. However, efficient syngas production from methane is constrained by the high activation energy required to cleave the strong C—H bond, the endothermic nature of reforming reactions, and equilibrium limitations that necessitate elevated operating temperatures. Catalyst deactivation by carbon deposition, sintering, and sulfur poisoning further limits efficiency and catalyst lifetime. Steam reforming of methane is currently the dominant process but is energy intensive and a major source of CO2 due to its high-temperature operation. Alternative routes such as dry reforming, autothermal reforming, plasma reforming, and electrochemical reforming have been explored to mitigate these issues but lack a robust, coke-resistant, and durable catalyst suitable for continuous operation. Given methane's molecular symmetry and the strength of its C—H bonds, its activation under catalytic or electrochemical conditions remains a major scientific and technological challenge. Therefore, there is a clear need for catalyst systems capable of promoting selective and stable C—H bond activation while resisting carbon formation and maintaining long-term structural integrity under various reforming environments. In existing syngas generation methods such as steam methane reforming, partial oxidation, or dry reforming, the reaction kinetics are often slow and thermodynamically constrained. Catalysts such as nickel, cobalt, or noble metals like ruthenium or rhodium accelerate these processes. The selectivity and activity of such catalysts can be tuned through support materials, promoters, and surface morphology, offering improved control over the H2/CO ratio, which is important for controlling downstream synthesis of fuels and other chemicals. Thus, it is desirable to develop advanced catalytic materials in order to provide efficient and sustainable syngas pathways. For example, catalysts that facilitate CO2 reforming or plasma-assisted reactions enable carbon recycling and integration with renewable energy sources. SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of one or more embodiments of the present teachings. This summary is not an extensive overview, nor is it intended to identify key or critical elements of the present teachings, nor to delineate the scope of the disclosure. Rather, its primary purpose is merely to present one or more concepts in simplified form as a prelude to the detailed description presented later. A syngas production method is disclosed. The syngas production method includes introducing oxygen to a reactor which may include a catalyst. The syngas production method also includes introducing methane to the reactor, and forming carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of the methane, and where the catalyst may include a barium niobate-based perovskite structure having a chemical formula of Ba1−x(AE)xNb1−(y+z)(AE)yMzO3−δ, where AE is an alkaline earth (AE) element and M is a metal. Implementations of the syngas production method include where M may include a transition metal or a rare earth metal. AE may include Mg, Ca, Sr, or a combination thereof. AE may include K, Rb, Cs, or a combination thereof. M may include Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, W, Ta, Pr, or a combination thereof. M may include Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Zr, Mo, La, Ce, Sm, Gd, W or a combination thereof. X is from 0 to about 0.60. Y is from 0 to about 0.80. Z is from 0 to about 0.80. The barium niobate-based perovskite structure has the chemical formula of BaCa0.33Nb0.67−xMxO3−δ and BaMg0.33Nb0.67−xMxO3−δ where M is one or more of Fe, Co, Ni, Y, Yb, or Pr and M is from about x=0 to about x=0.33. The oxygen and methane can be introduced into the reactor in a stoichiometric ratio between 1:1 to 1:19. The syngas production method may include combining the catalyst with silicon carbide, and placing the combined catalyst and silicon carbide in the reactor. The syngas production method may include supplying the oxygen to a membrane may include the ca