Nonthermal Plasma-Assisted Photocatalytic Conversion of Simulated Natural Gas for High-Quality Gasoline Production near Ambient Conditions

We report a novel nonthermal plasma-assisted photocatalytic approach that could efficiently convert the main components of natural gas, methane and propane, into high-quality gasoline chemicals abundant with C-6-C-9 branched-chain paraffins at low temperature and atmospheric pressure. The conversions of methane and propane can reach up to 15.0% and 48.6%, respectively. A 58.4 C% yield of gasoline products with limited coke deposition (6.3 C%) can be achieved via the combination of plasma with photocatalysis. Isotope labeling experiments show that methane prefers to be incorporated into 1-C or 2-C of the formed alkanes as a terminal group. Our work demonstrates an industrially promising strategy for the cost-efficient utilization of natural gas.