The application of solid electrolyte
reactors for methane oxidation
to co-generation of power and chemicals could be interesting, mainly
with the use of materials that could come from renewable sources and
abundant metals, such as the [6,6′- (2, 2′-bipyridine-6,
6′-diyl)bis (1,3,5-triazine-2, 4-diamine)](nitrate-O)copper
(II) complex. In this study, we investigated the optimal ratio between
this complex and carbon to obtain a stable, conductive, and functional
reagent diffusion electrode. The most active Cu-complex compositions
were 2.5 and 5% carbon, which were measured with higher values of
open circuit and electric current, in addition to the higher methanol
production with reaction rates of 1.85 mol L–1 h–1 close to the short circuit potential and 1.65 mol
L–1 h–1 close to the open circuit
potential, respectively. This activity was attributed to the ability
of these compositions to activate water due to better distribution
of the Cu complex in the carbon matrix as observed in the rotating
ring disk electrode experiments.