Photo: MIT
Methane gas traps more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. Now MIT chemical engineers have designed a new catalyst that can convert methane into useful polymers, making it easier and more economical to deploy at sites such as power plants and cattle barns. Adding urea produces a resin-like polymer, known as urea-formaldehyde, that is now used in particle board, textiles and other products. This catalyst could be incorporated into pipes that transport natural gas, generating a polymer that could act as a sealant to heal cracks in the pipes, and could also coat surfaces that are exposed to methane gas, producing polymers that could be collected for use in manufacturing.
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