Seminar

Povzetek

Methane is the second largest contributor to global warming, and its atmospheric concentration has been
increasing rapidly in recent decades. At the same time, methane is an abundant carbon source that could
be converted into valuable chemicals such as methanol, an important platform molecule widely used in
multiples industries and the energy sector. However, the selective oxidation of methane to methanol
remains highly challenging.
Current industrial processes for methane conversion operate at high temperatures and pressures,
resulting in high energy consumption. For this reason, many researchers have devoted their efforts to
developing new catalytic systems able to work under mild conditions. In nature this process is already
carried out by MMO enzymes. Taking inspiration from these molecules, iron-based metal organic
frameworks (Fe-MOFs) have emerged as promising catalysts. Their tuneable structures, high surface
areas, and well-defined Fe active sites have increased interest in them.
Despite their promising catalytic properties, no process has yet demonstrated efficient performance
under truly mild and industrially relevant conditions. Therefore, it is essential understand the current
state of the art and the major challenges associated with methane oxidation to guide the development
of future catalytic systems for sustainable methane valorization.