Direct non-oxidative methane aromatization over gallium nitride catalyst in a continuous flow reactor

The direct non-oxidative methane aromatization over commercially available gallium nitride powder has been investigated for the first time in a fixed bed reactor under continuous operation. Gallium nitride catalyst is highly active. High reaction temperatures (650-710 degrees C) are needed to initiate benzene formation due to the small surface area (8 m(2) g(-1)) of the gallium nitride material, thermodynamic constraints and the low residence time (1-4 s). Besides benzene and toluene, C-2 species and coke were formed.