Enhancing the combustion of natural gas by electrochemical promotion of catalysis

Abstract

In this work, the electrochemically promoted combustion of natural gas over porous Pd catalyst–electrodes interfaced with yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is reported for the first time. A rate enhancement up to 250% on the CO2 formation upon positive polarizations was obtained at temperatures as low as 340°C. Different electropromoted behaviors depending on the reactants consumptions (methane, ethane and propane) were explained with regard to the bond strength between these reactants and the catalyst.