Patent ID: 11898258
Assignee: B.G. NEGEV TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS LTD., AT BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC C  H  Y | IPC C  H

Claim 11:
12. A process for producing methanol (CH3OH) from methane (CH4), comprising
i) providing an electrochemical cell having an anode in contact with aqueous KOH and an inert cathode;
ii) electrochemically creating a Ni(OH)2/NiOOH layer on said anode, preferably on a nickel foam;
iii) delivering and dispersing pressurized CH4 from a pressurized source to the interface between said anode and said aqueous KOH;
iv) applying direct voltage on said electrodes resulting in direct current in said cell, resulting in oxidation of said CH4 to CH3OH; and
v) employing means for reducing thermodynamic activity of CH3OH near a surface of said electrode, said means preventing oxidation of said CH3OH;
wherein said methanol is collected or further used in a fuel cell as an energy source; and
wherein said anode is coated with a carbon paper substrate onto which a catalytic bilayer is formed consisting of a Ni(OH)2/NiOOH layer in contact with said substrate and an electropolymerized manganese, or iron or ruthenium, porphyrin layer in contact with said Ni(OH)2/NiOOH.