Methane hydrate formation in confined nanospace can surpass nature

Mirian E. Casco; Joaquín Silvestre-Albero; Anibal J. Ramírez-Cuesta; Fernando Rey; Jose L. Jordá; Atul Bansode; Atsushi Urakawa; Inma Peral; Manuel Martínez-Escandell; Katsumi Kaneko; Francisco Rodríguez-Reinoso

doi:10.1038/ncomms7432

Methane hydrate formation in confined nanospace can surpass nature

Mirian E. Casco, Joaquín Silvestre-Albero, Anibal J. Ramírez-Cuesta, Fernando Rey, Jose L. Jordá, Atul Bansode, Atsushi Urakawa, Inma Peral, Manuel Martínez-Escandell, Katsumi Kaneko, Francisco Rodríguez-Reinoso

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Abstract

Natural methane hydrates are believed to be the largest source of hydrocarbons on Earth. These structures are formed in specific locations such as deep-sea sediments and the permafrost based on demanding conditions of high pressure and low temperature. Here we report that, by taking advantage of the confinement effects on nanopore space, synthetic methane hydrates grow under mild conditions (3.5MPa and 2°C), with faster kinetics (within minutes) than nature, fully reversibly and with a nominal stoichiometry that mimics nature. The formation of the hydrate structures in nanospace and their similarity to natural hydrates is confirmed using inelastic neutron scattering experiments and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. These findings may be a step towards the application of a smart synthesis of methane hydrates in energy-demanding applications (for example, transportation).

Original language	English
Article number	6432
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7432
State	Published - 2015

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abstract = "Natural methane hydrates are believed to be the largest source of hydrocarbons on Earth. These structures are formed in specific locations such as deep-sea sediments and the permafrost based on demanding conditions of high pressure and low temperature. Here we report that, by taking advantage of the confinement effects on nanopore space, synthetic methane hydrates grow under mild conditions (3.5MPa and 2°C), with faster kinetics (within minutes) than nature, fully reversibly and with a nominal stoichiometry that mimics nature. The formation of the hydrate structures in nanospace and their similarity to natural hydrates is confirmed using inelastic neutron scattering experiments and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. These findings may be a step towards the application of a smart synthesis of methane hydrates in energy-demanding applications (for example, transportation).",

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AU - Jordá, Jose L.

AU - Bansode, Atul

AU - Urakawa, Atsushi

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AU - Kaneko, Katsumi

AU - Rodríguez-Reinoso, Francisco

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AB - Natural methane hydrates are believed to be the largest source of hydrocarbons on Earth. These structures are formed in specific locations such as deep-sea sediments and the permafrost based on demanding conditions of high pressure and low temperature. Here we report that, by taking advantage of the confinement effects on nanopore space, synthetic methane hydrates grow under mild conditions (3.5MPa and 2°C), with faster kinetics (within minutes) than nature, fully reversibly and with a nominal stoichiometry that mimics nature. The formation of the hydrate structures in nanospace and their similarity to natural hydrates is confirmed using inelastic neutron scattering experiments and synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. These findings may be a step towards the application of a smart synthesis of methane hydrates in energy-demanding applications (for example, transportation).

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Methane hydrate formation in confined nanospace can surpass nature

Abstract

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