Methods for production of carbon and hydrogen from natural gas and other hydrocarbons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10906807-B2
Application number	US-201916240422-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2019
Priority date	Feb 1, 2016
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

A method for producing elemental carbon and hydrogen gas directly from a hydrocarbon (for example, natural gas or methane) using a chemical reaction or series of reactions. In an aspect, other materials involved such as, for example, elemental magnesium, remain unchanged and function as a catalyst.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing elemental carbon and hydrogen comprising reacting at least one molten metal with at least one hydrocarbon at a temperature sufficient to melt the metal, wherein said reaction produces elemental carbon and hydrogen, wherein the molten metal is molten lithium.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is a gas at 25° C. and 760 torr.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is a liquid at 25° C. and 760 torr.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is a solid at 25° C. and 760 torr.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon is methane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is in a range selected from the group consisting of from about 600° C. to about 950° C., from about 600° C. to about 900° C., from about 650° C. to about 950° C., from about 650° C. to about 900° C., from about 700° C. to about 950° C., from about 700° C. to about 900° C., from about 650° C. to about 1,000° C., from about 700° C. to about 1,000° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is about 600° C. to about 950° C.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is about 650° C. to about 900° C.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is about 650° C. to about 1,000° C.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature range is about 700° C. to about 950° C.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction takes place in a single vessel.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out with a metal halide also present.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction is carried out under continuous conditions.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of isolating the carbon.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction occurs via a carbide intermediate.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction occurs via a sesquacarbide intermediate.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is 10° C. to 500° C. above the melting point of lithium.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is 10° C. to 250° C. above the melting point of lithium.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temperature is 10° C. to 100° C. above the melting point of lithium.

Assignees

• Univ West Virginia

Inventors

• Stiller Alfred H

Classifications

• C01B3/26 Primary

  using catalysts · CPC title

• B01J21/10

  Magnesium; Oxides or hydroxides thereof · CPC title

• C01B2203/0805

  Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas · CPC title

• B01J37/08

  Heat treatment {(B01J37/0009, B01J37/0018 take precedence)} · CPC title

• C01B2203/1241

  Natural gas or methane · CPC title