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Tuesday, 29th January 2008 (5827 views)

A team of scientists researching how gold nanoparticle catalysts can oxidise methane to help with the production of industrially important chemicals and plastics has won share of a $6.4 million (£3.2 million) grant from Dow Chemicals, it has been announced.

The team, which comprises scientists from Cardiff University's school of chemistry, Imperial College London and Lehigh University, were one of two winners from over 100 international applications for the grant. They will share the fund with a US team from Northwestern University in Illinois and Virginia University.

Dow Chemical is funding the research to investigate ways that methane, which is in abundance in many parts of the world, can be converted into ethylene and propylene, which are used in a number of rubbers and plastics.

Professor Graham Hutchings, whose Cardiff team will design the gold nanoparticle catalysts, said oxidizing methane in a stable way is the "most important remaining challenge" in the field of catalysis, which deals with designing elements to speed up chemical reactions.

Gold nanoparticle catalysts could, however, provide the answer, he added.

Dow Chemicals is a producer of plastics, chemical and agricultural products that operates in 175 countries around the world.

 

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