Silver enhanced oxidative coupling of methane over the Mn–Na2WO4/SiO2 catalyst†

The Mn–Na₂WO₄/SiO₂ catalyst for oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) is highly appealing and promising but its high light-off temperature (>800 °C) hinders its industrial application. Engineering catalysts for efficient catalytic performance is attractive yet challenging. In this study, we demonstrate that the incorporation of small amounts of silver into the Mn–Na₂WO₄/SiO₂ catalyst significantly improves its performance, achieving a C₂ yield of up to 20% at 750 °C. Characterization results indicate that silver facilitates O₂ activation and promotes C–H bond activation, thereby further enhancing CH₄ conversion. The findings offer valuable insights into advancing the design concept of high-performance OCM catalysts.