The direct catalytic conversion of methane to liquid oxygenated compounds, such as methanol or dimethyl ether, at low temperature using molecular oxygen is a grand challenge in C–H activation that has never been met with synthetic, heterogeneous catalysts. We report the first demonstration of direct, catalytic oxidation of methane into methanol with molecular oxygen over copper-exchanged zeolites at low reaction temperatures (483–498 K). Reaction kinetics studies show sustained catalytic activity and high selectivity for a variety of commercially available zeolite topologies under mild conditions (e.g., 483 K and atmospheric pressure). Transient and steady state measurements with isotopically labeled molecules confirm catalytic turnover. The catalytic rates and apparent activation energies are affected by the zeolite topology, with caged-based zeolites (e.g., Cu-SSZ-13) showing the highest rates. Although the reaction rates are low, the discovery of catalytic sites in copper-exchanged zeolites will accelerate the development of strategies to directly oxidize methane into methanol under mild conditions.

Recent research has demonstrated a new synthesis route to useful zeolites such as beta, RUB-13, and ZSM-12 via seed-assisted, organic structure-directing agent (OSDA)-free synthesis, although it had been believed that these zeolites could be essentially synthesized with OSDAs. These zeolites are obtained by adding seeds to the gels that otherwise yield other zeolites; however, the underlying crystallization mechanism has not been fully understood yet. Without any strategy, it is unavoidable to employ a trial-and-error procedure for broadening zeolite types by using this synthesis method. In this study, the effect of zeolite seeds with different framework structures is investigated to understand the crystallization mechanism of zeolites obtained by the seed-assisted, OSDA-free synthesis method. It has been found that the key factor in the successful synthesis of zeolites in the absence of OSDA is the common composite building unit contained both in the seeds and in the zeolite obtained from the gel after heating without seeds. A new working hypothesis for broadening zeolite types by the seed-assisted synthesis without OSDA is proposed on the basis of the findings of the common composite building units in zeolites. This hypothesis enables us to design the synthesis condition of target zeolites. The validity of the hypothesis is experimentally tested and verified by synthesizing several zeolites including ECR-18 in K-aluminosilicate system.

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Improving the stability of porous materials for practical applications is highly challenging. Aluminosilicate zeolites are utilized for adsorptive and catalytic applications, wherein they are sometimes exposed to high-temperature steaming conditions (∼1000 °C). As the degradation of high-silica zeolites originates from the defect sites in their frameworks, feasible defect-healing methods are highly demanded. Herein, we propose a method for healing defects to create extremely stable high-silica zeolites. High-silica (SiO2/Al2O3 > 240) zeolites with *BEA-, MFI-, and MOR-type topologies could be stabilized by significantly reducing the number of defect sites via a liquid-mediated treatment without using additional silylating agents. Upon exposure to extremely high temperature (900–1150 °C) steam, the stabilized zeolites retain their crystallinity and micropore volume, whereas the parent commercial zeolites degrade completely. The proposed self-defect-healing method provides new insights into the migration of species through porous bodies and significantly advances the practical applicability of zeolites in severe environments.

Recently, Zn x Zr1–x O2–x catalysts have attracted attention as next-generation CO2-to-methanol hydrogenation catalysts. In this study, we examined the effect of the Zn content on CO2-to-methanol hydrogenation over Zn x Zr1–x O2–x catalysts and determined the active-site structure through both calculations and experiments. When the Zn content was low, Zn x Zr1–x O2–x contained Zn clusters (isolated [ZnO a ] clusters and [Zn b O c ] oligomers). The presence of clusters indicates the formation of Zn–O–Zr sites. Interestingly, our calculations revealed that the Zn species in the clusters are easily exposed on the Zn x Zr1–x O2–x surface. This result is in line with the experimental results, suggesting that Zn species were unevenly distributed on the Zn x Zr1–x O2–x surface and deposited near the surface. The addition of excess Zn to ZrO2 led to the formation of both Zn-containing clusters and ZnO nanoparticles. During the reactions, the Zn–O–Zr sites derived from the clusters showed specific activity for CO2-to-methanol hydrogenation. Understanding the active-site structure will lead to the future development of Zn x Zr1–x O2–x catalysts.