An alternate mechanism for methane conversion

General wisdom considers conversion of methane as mostly hindered by a high reaction barrier to cleaving the first C-H bond on a clean patch of a metal catalyst. We propose to study an alternate reaction mechanism that involves recombinative desorption of H2 from direct reaction of CH4 with pre-adsorbed hydrogen. We will investigate this Eley-Rideal mechanism using a combination of newly developed experimental and theoretical methods on flat and stepped surfaces of nickel and platinum. Our studies determine how this direct reaction path compares to activation on the bare surface and whether step sites, vibrational excitation of methane, and surface temperature are of importance. Our results will indicate whether this mechanism is responsible for longstanding controversies in methane reforming.