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New 3D printing polymer can convert methane into methanol

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Scientists have combined biology with 3D printing to create the first reactor that can continuously produce methanol from methane at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

Scientists have combined biology with 3D printing to create the first reactor that can continuously produce methanol from methane at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.


The scientists of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory combined biology with 3D printing to create the first reactor that can continuously produce methanol from methane at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.


The research team extracted enzymes from methanogens (a methane-eating bacteria), mixed them with polymers, and then printed or made innovative reactors.


This research may lead to more effective conversion of methane into energy production, published in the June 15 edition of Nature Communications.


Sarah Baker, LLNL chemist and project leader, said: "It is worth noting that the enzyme has maintained up to 100% activity in the polymer." "The printed enzyme embedded polymer has high flexibility for future development and should be useful in a wide range of applications, especially those involving gas-liquid reactions."


The progress of oil and natural gas exploitation technology makes it possible to build a large number of new natural gas reserves mainly composed of methane. However, during these operations, a large amount of methane is leaked, discharged or burned, partly because it is difficult to store and transport methane compared with more valuable liquid fuel. Methane emissions also account for about one third of the current global warming net potential, mainly from these sources and other distributed sources, such as agriculture and landfills.


At present, industrial technologies that convert methane into more valuable products, such as steam transformation, need a lot of unit operations and produce a series of products when operating under high temperature and high pressure. Therefore, the efficiency of current industrial technology to convert methane into final product is very low and can only be operated economically on a very large scale


The team reported that a technology to effectively convert methane into other hydrocarbons was needed as a profitable way to convert "stranded" methane and natural gas sources (small, temporary or not close to the pipeline) into liquid for further treatment.


The only known catalyst (industrial or biological) that efficiently converts methane to methanol under environmental conditions is methane monooxygenase (MMO), which converts methane to methanol. This reaction can be carried out by methanogens containing this enzyme, but this method inevitably requires energy to maintain and metabolize organisms. Instead, the research team isolated enzymes from organisms and used them directly.


The research team found that the isolated enzyme is expected to conduct highly controlled reaction under environmental conditions, with higher conversion efficiency and greater flexibility.


"So far, most industrial bioreactors are stirred tanks, which is very inefficient for gas-liquid reactions," said Joshua Stolaroff, an environmental scientist of the team. "The concept of printing enzyme into a solid polymer structure opens the door for a new reactor with higher throughput and lower energy consumption."


The research team found that the 3D printed polymer can be reused many times, and its concentration is higher than that of the traditional method of enzyme dispersion in solution.

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