Tribocatalytic Enhancement of Methane Oxidation

Oxidation reaction of methane is one of the most fundamental reactions in organic chemistry. This reaction is enhanced by silver catalyst [1]. In this study, we confirmed that the catalytic activity of silver is enhanced more by the friction. This effect is called tribocatalysis. In previous studies about tribocatalysis, we have shown that the oxidation reactions of hydrogen [2], carbon monoxide [3] and ethylene were promoted by the friction. According to NIRAM (negative-ion-radical action mechanism) approach, exo-electron emission triggers the promotion of chemical reactions [4]. Insulator such as aluminum oxide, when it is worn, emits larger number of negative particles including electrons compared with metals [5]. Therefore we expected that the friction of aluminum oxide promotes tribochemical reactions more than metals.