Setting Up a Non Catalytic Reaction beteen air and methane

[Smx_Drummerboy]

Setting Up a Non Catalytic Reaction beteen air and methane!

Hello, I'm in a group and we have been given the task of setting up an oxidation reaction between methane and air (different ratios), and seeing what the products are. We know what the products will be, but we don't know how to set up this experiment in such a way that there is no possible catalyst present. I've read all that I can find on this sort of thing, but most reactions that relate to what I'm looking for use some sort of catalyst.

Any Suggestions?

 

[marcusl]

How about using a spark?

(ok, I'm not a chemist...)

 

[Smx_Drummerboy]

It's not a combustion reaction...well, it can't be in our case, we are just using a heat source to heat a chamber. It will be at atmospheric pressure, but the temperature is like 70 Celsius or something like that.

 

[Drachir]

I have studied catalyst behaviors with methane oxygen systems up to 1200 degerees F. I built my reaction chamber of Vycor tubing, with integral inlet/outlet/instrumentation ports. I know for fact that Vycor was not catalytic.

If you are only going to 70 Celsius you should be fine with Pyrex equipment. If you are concerned about a thermocouple or thermistor being catalytic, include an integral Pyrex thermowell.

I hope you have a very sensitive gas chromatograph to measure your reaction products, I would be surprised to see much of anything at so low a termperature.

 

[jaap de vries]

Also make sure you are capable of pulling a vacuum of < 10 mTorr on your system and use research grade (99.999 or better) pure air and methane.

and I agree with Drachir I am not sure what you will see. What kind of diagnostics are you using?