{"id":77737,"date":"2026-03-31T14:32:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/?p=77737"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:42:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T09:42:34","slug":"toward-a-more-sustainable-alternative-for-converting-methane-into-hydrogen-and-hydrocarbons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/newsletter\/toward-a-more-sustainable-alternative-for-converting-methane-into-hydrogen-and-hydrocarbons.html","title":{"rendered":"Toward a more sustainable alternative for converting methane into hydrogen and hydrocarbons"},"content":{"rendered":"<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mnee40a2-47197878d0a745d1504672cc2ea74e08'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 style=\"text-align: center; line-height: 30pt;\"><span style=\"color: #5753a3;\">Toward a more sustainable method for converting methane into hydrogen and hydrocarbons using an electronic phase transition in vanadium dioxide<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mneexonv-7e1ff5a429c5ebacd9f14591978e0060\">\n#top .hr.av-mneexonv-7e1ff5a429c5ebacd9f14591978e0060{\nmargin-top:20px;\nmargin-bottom:30px;\n}\n.hr.av-mneexonv-7e1ff5a429c5ebacd9f14591978e0060 .hr-inner{\nwidth:500px;\nborder-color:#7a75dd;\nmax-width:45%;\n}\n.hr.av-mneexonv-7e1ff5a429c5ebacd9f14591978e0060 .av-seperator-icon{\ncolor:#7a75dd;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-mneexonv-7e1ff5a429c5ebacd9f14591978e0060 hr-custom  avia-builder-el-1  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_three_fifth  hr-center hr-icon-yes'><span class='hr-inner inner-border-av-border-fat'><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><span class='av-seperator-icon' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue808' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello'><\/span><span class='hr-inner inner-border-av-border-fat'><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-122cxvq-8d9fb4a0686a346883748206ebdc46af av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_two_fifth  first flex_column_div'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mnee7lt9-b1e8807f825647a77bb3a7d23438312d'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><blockquote>\n<p style=\"line-height: 20pt; text-align: justify;\">Optimizing the efficiency of photocatalysts is a key challenge in methane conversion. This process relies on light absorption and the transport of photo-induced charges to the surface of the photocatalysts.<br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\">Researchers<i>\u00a0<\/i>have recently shown that vanadium dioxide (VO\u2082), which undergoes a phase transition at 68 \u00b0C, significantly facilitates the transfer of these charges to react with methane during this transition.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong>Thin films of VO\u2082 thus enable record-breaking photocatalytic conversion of methane into hydrogen, ethane, and propane. By reducing their thickness, the reaction yields a single hydrocarbon\u2014propane\u2014offering a more sustainable method than current industrial processes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h5><\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-77708\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/visuel_bruno-1-705x470.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n<div  class='flex_column av-s6g0g6-a653df8b2b8e106a7228b893c0576212 av_two_fifth  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_three_fifth  avia-builder-el-last  flex_column_div'     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-mneeee81-3e5a6fd2acadd3fb80612ecb912b08e4'   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"text-align: justify;\">Methane is a very abundant gas but difficult to convert because it is chemically inert. To overcome this issue, researchers use photocatalysts \u2014materials that absorb light energy and convert it to electrical charges that trigger a chemical reaction. However, much of this energy is quickly dissipated, making the activation of methane on the surface of the photocatalysts inefficient.<br \/>\n<strong><span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\">A team of scientists<\/span><\/strong><sup><span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\">(1)<\/span> <\/sup><strong><span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\">has shown that a vanadium oxyde compound (VO\u2082) possesses a property that is ideal for overcoming this problem.<\/span><\/strong><br \/>\nAt 68 \u00b0C, VO\u2082 undergoes a sudden phase transition: it changes from an insulating to a metallic state. During this transition, the two states coexist, intermingling on the nanoscale. The numerous boundaries between these regions effectively separate the charges generated by light. These charges then reach the material\u2019s surface in large numbers, making the reaction much more efficient.<br \/>\nThanks to this transition, thin VO\u2082 films convert methane into useful molecules such as hydrogen, ethane, or propane, with, under certain experimental conditions, selective production of one of the two hydrocarbons. <strong><span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\">The transition can even be triggered electrically at lower temperatures, paving the way for more efficient and energy-saving photocatalysts.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<h5>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mqde7m-1-9-7d392141e55d67f91491060640d42df9\">\n.av_font_icon.av-mqde7m-1-9-7d392141e55d67f91491060640d42df9{\ncolor:#7a75dd;\nborder-color:#7a75dd;\n}\n.av_font_icon.av-mqde7m-1-9-7d392141e55d67f91491060640d42df9 .av-icon-char{\nfont-size:25px;\nline-height:25px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<span  class='av_font_icon av-mqde7m-1-9-7d392141e55d67f91491060640d42df9 avia_animate_when_visible av-icon-style- avia-icon-pos-left avia-icon-animate'><span class='av-icon-char' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue826' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span> <span style=\"color: #7a75dd;\"><a style=\"color: #7a75dd;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.insis.cnrs.fr\/fr\/cnrsinfo\/la-transition-metal-isolant-au-benefice-de-la-photocatalyse\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Learn more<\/a><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>\u00a0(1)\u00a0<\/em><em>IEMN (University of Lille, CNRS, \u00c9cole Centrale Lille, \u00c9cole Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, Junia), UCCS (University of Lille, CNRS, \u00c9cole Centrale Lille, ENSCL, University of Artois), UMET (CNRS, INRAE, \u00c9cole Centrale Lille), LASIRE (University of Lille, CNRS), LPEM (ESPCI Paris, PSL University, CNRS, Sorbonne University), XLIM and IRCER (CNRS\/University of Limoges).<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #f16728;\"><strong>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mqde7m-11665d57be50482f466d54b8a3268ec6\">\n.av_font_icon.av-mqde7m-11665d57be50482f466d54b8a3268ec6{\ncolor:#f16728;\nborder-color:#f16728;\n}\n.av_font_icon.av-mqde7m-11665d57be50482f466d54b8a3268ec6 .av-icon-char{\nfont-size:25px;\nline-height:25px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<span  class='av_font_icon av-mqde7m-11665d57be50482f466d54b8a3268ec6 avia_animate_when_visible av-icon-style- avia-icon-pos-left avia-icon-animate'><span class='av-icon-char' aria-hidden='true' data-av_icon='\ue805' data-av_iconfont='entypo-fontello' ><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span>Contact : bruno.grandidier<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"align=absbottom wp-image-73335 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/arobase6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"16\" height=\"14\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/arobase6.png 16w, https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/arobase6-14x12.png 14w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 16px) 100vw, 16px\" \/>univ-lille.fr<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[297],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-77737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newsletter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77737","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77737"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77737\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":77912,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77737\/revisions\/77912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iemn.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}