(214g) OCM Vs Odh Comparisons on Metal and Non-Metal Oxide Oxygen Transfer Agents

The use of metal oxide Oxygen Transfer Agents (OTAs) for the conversion of methane or ethane to olefins has been studied for almost half a century and yet to be commercialized. The earliest research efforts at Phillips, ARCO and Union Carbide focused on using supported transition metal oxides. The use of non-metal oxides has been explored for the high temperature (1,000-1,100 C) conversion of coal to synthesis gas by GE-Alstom, and others. Recently, EcoCatalytic has discovered that non-metal oxides derived from sulfates or SO₃ can be effectively used for ODH at more modest temperatures (800-840 C). This paper will put these recent results in perspective of OCM and ODH conversions typically operated in a redox, looping, mode via metal oxides.