Operando quasielastic neutron scattering for methane partial oxidation to methanol

Catalysts are materials that speed up and control reaction mechanisms. They are vastly important in industrial production, and it has been estimated that catalytic reactions are responsible for 1/3 global GDP. Catalysts change over time whilst reactions are ongoing so it is important to measure under realistic reaction conditions, which is known as the operando technique. Methanol production from methane is an environmentally friendly reaction and a possible route to sustainable fuels. We want to measure this reaction under operando conditions to learn how the reactants and products move inside the pores of a zeolite catalyst.