Scientists reveal method of converting methane gas into liquid methanol
A group of researchers have succeeded in converting methane to methanol using a light, dispersed transition metal such as copper in a process known as photooxidation. According to an article reporting on research published in Chemical Communications, the reaction is the best obtained to date for the conversion of methane gas to liquid fuel under ambient temperature and pressure conditions (25 °C and 1 bar, respectively). The term bar as a unit of pressure comes from the Greek word for weight (baros). One bar is equivalent to 100,000 Pascals (100 kPa), which is very close to the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level (101,325 Pa). The results of this study are an important step in making natural gas available as an energy source for the production of alternative fuels other than gasoline and diesel. Although natural gas is considered a fossil fuel, its conversion to methanol produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) than other liquid fuels in the same category. In Brazil, methanol plays