Scientific basis for process and catalyst design in the selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde

The mechanism and kinetics of the gas-phase selective oxidation of methane to formaldehyde (MPO) are revised in the general context of catalytic oxidations. In agreement with ab initio calculations of the energy barrier for the activation of methane on transition metal oxide complexes, a formal Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic model is proposed which accounts for the steady-state conditions and activity-selectivity pattern of MPO catalysts, providing an original support to process design and catalyst development.