Strategy to eliminate catalyst hot-spots in the partial oxidation of methane: enhancing its activity for direct hydrogen production by reducing the reactivity of lattice oxygen.

Hydrogen can be produced over Er(2)O(3) in methane oxidation (oxygen/methane = 26). The reactivity of lattice oxygen in the catalyst plays a main role in the conversion of surface hydroxyl species to hydrogen or water. Adding a rare earth element into a catalyst can reduce the reactivity of lattice oxygen, resulting in increased hydrogen production, to eliminate catalyst hot-spots.