Nagoya University researchers develop tech to convert methane into methanol at room temperature in water

In Japan, Nagoya University in Japan has developed a technology to convert methane, the principal component of natural gas, into methanol at room temperature in water. They used an enzyme that can be easily mass-produced, offering the possibility of a cheap and effective means to reduce the carbon footprint of natural gas. They published the results in ACS Catalysis.

Methane is the key component of natural gas and an abundant natural resource. However, it is chemically stable, requiring huge amounts of energy before it undergoes chemical conversion. One solution is to convert methane to methanol. Methane can be converted to methanol, which is cleaner than other fossil fuels and can be easily stored and transported. Converting methane to methanol can be done using the methane monooxygenase enzyme.

However, the enzyme has a complex structure, making it difficult to handle and unsuitable for mass production.

Enzymes are usually very specific, often compared to a key for a particular lock. Converting methane to methanol using enzymes other than methane monooxygenase was thought to be impossible. However, the research group turned to their previous work on the addition of chemically synthesized molecules to an enzyme to change the characteristics of the enzyme itself. This enables the chemical conversion of compounds that would not normally be accepted, a process called a substrate misrecognition system.