Molten-Salt-Mediated Chemical Looping Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane with In-Situ Carbon Capture and Utilization.

The molten-salt-mediated oxidative dehydrogenation (MM-ODH) of ethane (CH) via a chemical looping scheme represents an effective carbon capture and utilization (CCU) method for the valorization of ethane-rich shale gas and concurrent mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO) emissions. Here, stepwise experimentation with LiCO-NaCO-KCO (LNK) ternary salts (i) assessed how each component of the LNK mixture impacted ethane MM-ODH performance and (ii) explored physicochemical and thermodynamic mechanisms behind melt-induced changes to ethylene (CH) and carbon monoxide (CO) yields. Of fifteen screened LNK compositions, nine exhibited ethylene yields greater than 50 % at 800 °C while maintaining CH selectivities of 85 % or higher.