Oxygen transport SrFe0.85M0.15O3-δ (M=Mo, W) hollow fiber membranes for ethylene production by ODHE

Catalytic membrane reactors (CMR) that integrate the oxidative dehydrogenation reactions with oxygen separation through oxygen-permeable membranes offer a promising alternative to traditional industrial ethylene production processes. In this work, membrane materials based on strontium ferrite doped with highly charged Mo6+ and W6+ cations were studied. Detailed equilibrium isothermal diagrams, derived from quasi-equilibrium oxygen release technique, demonstrated that doping of SrFeO3-δ by Mo and W (x = 0.15) enhances perovskite phase stability across a broad range of temperatures and oxygen partial pressures. SrFe0.85M0.15O3-δ (M=Mo, W) hollow fiber membranes with a porous and gas-tight layered structure were successfully fabricated via phase inversion and sintering technique. Oxygen permeability measurements of SFM-based hollow fiber membranes exhibited fluxes comparable to literature data for ferrite materials. The CMRs based on the obtained oxides showed high activity in the reaction of oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. Comparison of the catalytic activity of molybdenum and tungsten-containing compositions showed high selectivity for the sample with molybdenum. To elucidate the mechanism of the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) reaction taking place on the membrane surface, DFT calculations were performed.