Enhanced methane chlorination via RuO<sub>2</sub>-gas convection electrode with in-situ generated dynamical three-phase boundaries.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 41620405.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-68845-y and PMC identifier 12963477.
- Licence recorded as CC BY-NC-ND.
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Abstract
Chloromethane (CH<sub>3</sub>Cl) is a crucial chemical intermediate conventionally synthesized under harsh conditions. Electrocatalytic methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) chlorination enables a sustainable alternative by utilizing abundant CH<sub>4</sub> and chlor-alkali feedstocks under ambient conditions. However, the high stability and low solubility of CH<sub>4</sub> limit CH<sub>3</sub>Cl's production. To address these issues, we develop a hierarchical system integrating catalyst and electrode designs. RuO<sub>2</sub> catalyst is applied for surface adsorbed chlorine (*Cl) generation and CH<sub>4</sub> activation. We also design a gas convection electrode (GCE), achieving a CH<sub>3</sub>Cl yield of 547.5 ± 33.4 mmol cm<sup>-2</sup> h<sup>-1</sup> and a 19-fold enhancement in faradaic efficiency compared to gas diffusion electrodes. This enhancement is attributed to efficient *Cl production by RuO<sub>2</sub>, coupled with the convection-dominated mass transport and the GCE's in-situ generation of dynamic three-phase boundaries. Here, we demonstrate an efficient catalyst for electrocatalytic CH<sub>4</sub> chlorination and propose a broadly applicable strategy to enhance reaction efficiency involving less soluble gaseous reactants.