Catalytic forms and formulations

Abstract

Catalytic forms and formulations are provided. The catalytic forms and formulations are useful in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane. Related methods for use and manufacture of the same are also disclosed.

1 . A catalytic material comprising a plurality of catalytic nanowires in combination with a diluent, wherein the diluent comprises an alkaline earth metal compound, silicon carbide, cordierite, B 2 O 3 , In 2 O 3 , SrAl 2 O 4 , B 4 SrO 7  or combinations thereof, wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is not MgO, CaO, MgAl 2 O 4  or calcium aluminate. 
     
     
         2 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is MgCO 3 , MgSO 4 , Mg 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , CaCO 3 , CaSO 4 , Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , CaAl 2 O 4 , SrO, SrCO 3 , SrSO 4 , Sr 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , SrAl 2 O 4 , BaO, BaCO 3 , BaSO 4 , Ba 3 (PO 4 ) 2 , BaAl 2 O 4  or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the alkaline earth metal compound is SrO, MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 , SrCO 3  or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a formed aggregate. 
     
     
         5 . The catalytic material of  claim 4 , wherein the formed aggregate comprises an extrudate 
     
     
         6 . The catalytic material of  claim 4 , wherein the formed aggregate comprises a pressed or cast particle 
     
     
         7 . The catalytic material of  claim 4 , wherein the formed aggregate comprises a monolith 
     
     
         8 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material is in a shape selected from a cylinder, rod, star, ribbed, trilobe, disk, hollow, donut, ring-shaped, pellet, tube, spherical, honeycomb, cup, bowl and an irregular shape. 
     
     
         9 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material is disposed on, impregnated in, or combinations thereof, a monolith, a foam, foil, gauze or honeycomb structure. 
     
     
         10 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a surface area ranging from 1 to 50 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         11 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a pore volume fraction ranging from 20 to 90%. 
     
     
         12 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of catalytic nanowire to total diluent and support ranges from 95:5 to 5:95. 
     
     
         13 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the diluent comprises a dopant which promotes catalytic activity of the catalytic nanowires. 
     
     
         14 . The catalytic material of  claim 13 , wherein the dopant promotes catalytic activity of the catalytic nanowires in the OCM reaction. 
     
     
         15 . A catalytic material comprising a plurality of catalytic nanowires and a sacrificial binder. 
     
     
         16 . A catalytic material in the form of a pressed pellet or extrudate, wherein the catalytic material comprises a plurality of catalytic nanowires and substantially no binder material. 
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A catalytic material comprising an active catalyst and a nanowire binder. 
     
     
         20 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A catalytic material in the form of a formed aggregate, wherein the catalytic material comprises a plurality of catalytic nanowires and a diluent. 
     
     
         24 - 36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . A catalytic material comprising a plurality of catalytic nanowires supported on or in a structured support. 
     
     
         38 - 52 . (canceled) 
     
     
         53 . A catalytic material comprising a first and second catalyst, wherein the first and second catalysts have a different catalytic activity in the same reaction under the same conditions. 
     
     
         54 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A catalytic material having a single pass methane conversion of greater than 25% when the catalytic material is employed as a catalytic material in the oxidative coupling of methane at temperatures of 750° C. or less. 
     
     
         62 . A catalytic material comprising a catalytic nanowire, wherein the catalytic material is in contact with a reactor. 
     
     
         63 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A catalytic material comprising at least one O 2 -OCM catalyst and at least one CO 2 -OCM catalyst. 
     
     
         68 . (canceled) 
     
     
         69 . A catalytic material comprising at least one O 2 -OCM catalyst and at least one CO 2 -ODH catalyst. 
     
     
         70 . (canceled) 
     
     
         71 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a void fraction volume of about 35% to about 70%. 
     
     
         72 . The catalytic material of  claim 71 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a void fraction volume of about 45% to about 65%. 
     
     
         73 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises catalyst particles having a cross sectional dimension in at least one dimension between about 1 mm and about 20 mm. 
     
     
         74 . The catalytic material of  claim 73 , wherein the cross sectional dimension is between about 2 mm and about 10 mm. 
     
     
         75 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises catalyst particles having a surface area to volume ratio between about 0.1 mm −1  and about 10 mm −1 . 
     
     
         76 . The catalytic material of  claim 75 , wherein the catalytic material comprises catalyst particles having a surface area to volume ratio between about 0.1 mm −1  and about 5 mm −1 . 
     
     
         77 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a crush strength greater than 1 N/mm 2 . 
     
     
         78 . The catalytic material of  claim 77 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a crush strength greater than 10 N/mm 2 . 
     
     
         79 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a porosity of between about 10% and about 80%. 
     
     
         80 . The catalytic material of  claim 79 , wherein the porosity is between about 40% and about 60%. 
     
     
         81 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the surface area of the catalytic form envelope to the volume of the catalytic form envelope ranges from about 0.5 mm −1  to about 4 mm −1 . 
     
     
         82 . The catalytic material of  claims 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a homogenously dispersed active catalyst. 
     
     
         83 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises a surface area ranging from about 1 m 2 /g to about 50 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         84 . A reactor comprising a catalytic bed, the catalytic bed comprising an inlet end, an outlet end, and a catalytic material comprising an active catalyst and a diluent, wherein the catalytic bed comprises a concentration gradient of the active catalyst, wherein the concentration of active catalyst is greater at the inlet end than the outlet end. 
     
     
         85 - 86 . (canceled) 
     
     
         87 . The catalytic material of  claim 1 , wherein the catalytic material comprises an inorganic catalytic polycrystalline nanowire, the nanowire having a ratio of effective length to actual length of less than one and an aspect ratio of greater than ten as measured by TEM in bright field mode at 5 keV, wherein the nanowire comprises one or more elements from any of Groups 1 through 7, lanthanides, actinides or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         88 . A method for preparing a catalytic material, the method comprising admixing a plurality of catalytic nanowires with a sacrificial binder and removing the sacrificial binder to obtain a catalytic material comprising substantially no binder material and having an increased microporosity relative to a catalytic material prepared without the sacrificial binder. 
     
     
         89 . A method for the oxidative coupling of methane, the method comprising converting methane to one or more C2 hydrocarbons in the presence of a catalytic material, wherein the catalytic material comprises at least one O 2 -OCM catalyst and at least one CO 2 -OCM catalyst. 
     
     
         90 - 92 . (canceled) 
     
     
         93 . A method for the preparation of ethylene, the method comprising converting methane to ethylene in the presence of a catalytic material, wherein the catalytic material comprises at least one O 2 -OCM catalyst and at least one CO 2 -ODH catalyst. 
     
     
         94 . (canceled) 
     
     
         95 . A method for the oxidative coupling of methane, the method comprising contacting the catalytic material of  claim 1  with a mixture comprising methane and oxygen. 
     
     
         96 . A method for the preparation of ethane or ethylene, the method comprising contacting the catalytic material  claim 1  with a mixture comprising methane and oxygen. 
     
     
         97 . A method for the preparation of a downstream product of ethylene, the method comprising oligomerizing ethylene, wherein the ethylene has been prepared by a method comprising contacting the catalytic material of  claims 1  with a mixture comprising methane and oxygen.