Citation: Jiadong Li, Yanduo Liu, Yang Qu. Highly efficient methane-to-low alcohols conversion via ZnO based photocatalysis in aqueous medium[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(1): 111741. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111741 shu

Highly efficient methane-to-low alcohols conversion via ZnO based photocatalysis in aqueous medium

Jiadong Li ^{a, c, *,} ,
Yanduo Liu ^{b, *,} ,
Yang Qu ^{c, *,}

a.
School of New Energy, Ningbo University of Technology, Ningbo 315336, China
b.
School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
c.
Key Laboratory of Functional Inorganic Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), School of Chemistry and Materials Science, International Joint Research Center for Catalytic Technology, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, China

lijd@nbut.edu.cn

liuyd0608@163.com

quyang@hlju.edu.cn

Received Date: 2 April 2025
Revised Date: 28 June 2025
Accepted Date: 18 August 2025
Available Online: 18 August 2025

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The photocatalytic oxidation of methane (CH₄) to valuable chemicals like low alcohols (CH₃OH and C₂H₅OH) represents a significant technological advancement with implications for energy conversion and environmental purification. A major challenge in this field is the chemical inertness of methane and the strong oxidizing nature of photogenerated holes, which can lead to over-oxidation and reduced selectivity and efficiency. To address these issues, we have developed a sodium-doped zinc oxide (Na-ZnO) modified with cobalt oxide (CoO) catalyst. This catalyst has demonstrated excellent performance in converting methane to low alcohols, achieving a yield of 130 µmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹ and a selectivity of up to 96 %. The doping of Na in ZnO significantly enhances methane adsorption, while the surface-modified CoO effectively captures photogenerated holes, activates water molecules, and uses hydroxyl radicals to activate methane, thus controlling the dehydrogenation degree of methane and preventing the formation of over-oxidized products. This strategy has successfully improved the efficiency and selectivity of photocatalytic methane oxidation to low alcohols, offering a new perspective for the application of photocatalytic technology in energy and environmental fields.
- ZnO nanosheets,
- Photocatalytic oxidation methane,
- Sodium-doped zinc oxide,
- Cobalt oxide,
- Hydroxyl radicals
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