Strategies toward the sustainable electrochemical oxidation of methane to methanol

Abstract

The direct conversion of methane to methanol is very promising to achieve a decarbonized future but remains a great challenge. The electrochemical activation and partial oxidation of methane to methanol are highly attractive to enable the direct conversion in a sustainable and decentralized way. In this review, we present an overview of the main strategies that have allowed to gain mechanistic insight into the electrochemical activation of methane. We discuss the developments of the direct and indirect electrochemical methane activation strategies as well as the opportunities and challenges toward the electrocatalytic conversion of methane to methanol. • There are research needs toward the design and development of electrode materials that convert methane to methanol at ambient to mild conditions. • The activation of methane without the full oxidation to CO 2 remains a challenge on metallic electrocatalyst surfaces. • Metal oxides can produce methanol through direct electrochemical methane activation; however, the oxygen evolution reaction is the main limitation. • The electrochemical generation of oxygenated radical species activate methane at ambient conditions at the cost of low selectivity. • Electrochemical-assisted homogeneous catalysis allows methane to methanol conversion at mild to ambient conditions.