Water-triggered photocatalytic oxidative coupling of methane toward C₂H₆ over Au/GaN nanoarchitecture
File(s)
Accepted version
Supporting information
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Solar-driven oxidative coupling of methane (CH4) offers a sustainable route for synthesizing value-added chemicals beyond petroleum. To address current thermodynamic and selectivity challenges, a photocatalytic system employing nano-gold-decorated GaN nanowires is developed for the efficient conversion of CH4 into ethane (C2H6), using water as a green oxidant. The optimized catalyst delivers a remarkable C2H6 production rate of 112.6 mmol⋅gcat−1⋅h−1 with 94.9% selectivity and a turnover number of 40,824 after 256 h operation. Mechanistic investigations reveal that photogenerated holes trapped at Au sites oxidize H2O into highly active ·OH radicals. These radicals significantly lower the energy barrier for C2H6 formation via an H-exchange mechanism. Ultimately, the synergistic Au/GaN interface inhibits CH4 over-oxidation, showcasing a highly promising, environmentally friendly pathway for solar-to-chemical energy conversion.
Date Issued
2026-04-17
Date Acceptance
2026-03-19
Citation
Chem, 2026
ISSN
2451-9294
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Journal / Book Title
Chem
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Inc. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Publication Status
Published online
Article Number
103033
Date Publish Online
2026-04-17