Photothermal transformation of ethane to ethylene oxide via consecutive dehydrogenation and epoxidation reactions

Integrating green and sustainable energy solutions is critical for improving both economic viability and environmental sustainability in chemical transformation. This work demonstrates a tandem process for ethylene oxide production from ethane, coupling ethane dehydrogenation and ethylene epoxidation, using solar irradiation as the sole energy source. The process employs photothermal tandem reactors, with oxygen introduced into the second reactor after dehydrogenation. Reaction temperatures were precisely controlled by modulating light intensity (∼940 K for dehydrogenation and ∼540 K for epoxidation). A NiLa/BN catalyst exhibited exceptional activity (152 mmol g⁻¹ h⁻¹) and stability for photocatalytic ethane dehydrogenation under sunlight, while the Ag-based catalyst facilitated the epoxidation reaction. The integrated system achieved 60% ethane conversion and 14% ethylene oxide yield. This study highlights the feasibility of using sunlight as a sustainable energy source for industrial chemical transformations, offering a potential way to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and decrease carbon emissions.