{"id":{"repo_id":"mit","oai_identifier":"oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/151987"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/mit/oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/151987","repository":{"repo_id":"mit","name":"MIT","base_url":"https://dspace.mit.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Materials Characterization and Spectroscopy for a Methane Abatement Catalyst","abstract":"Methane is the second-most emitted greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and it is significantly more powerful as a short-term warmer, making it a valuable target for climate change mitigation efforts. Zeolites are earth-abundant minerals common in catalysis for their low price combined with high conversion and throughput potential. This study evaluates a specific copper-zeolite (mordenite) methane oxidation catalyst for long-term durability and potential performance at 400 and 950 C. Using materials characterization and spectroscopy techniques including scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical and structural changes are tracked, identified, and assessed over the course of three months. Samples treated at 400 °C show no major structural or chemical changes in the catalyst, while samples treated at 950 °C show gradual transformation into a nonporous quartz-mullite-cristobalite mixture. This suggests indefinite catalyst stability at the former temperature and progressive catalyst degradation at the latter temperature, providing plausible long-term operation conditions and peak temporary conditions for this method of methane abatement.","abstract_html":"Methane is the second-most emitted greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and it is significantly more powerful as a short-term warmer, making it a valuable target for climate change mitigation efforts. Zeolites are earth-abundant minerals common in catalysis for their low price combined with high conversion and throughput potential. This study evaluates a specific copper-zeolite (mordenite) methane oxidation catalyst for long-term durability and potential performance at 400 and 950 C. Using materials characterization and spectroscopy techniques including scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical and structural changes are tracked, identified, and assessed over the course of three months. Samples treated at 400 °C show no major structural or chemical changes in the catalyst, while samples treated at 950 °C show gradual transformation into a nonporous quartz-mullite-cristobalite mixture. This suggests indefinite catalyst stability at the former temperature and progressive catalyst degradation at the latter temperature, providing plausible long-term operation conditions and peak temporary conditions for this method of methane abatement.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Wilkinson, Mollie"],"institution":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology","degree_name":"Master","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":"Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 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Zeolites are earth-abundant minerals common in catalysis for their low price combined with high conversion and throughput potential. This study evaluates a specific copper-zeolite (mordenite) methane oxidation catalyst for long-term durability and potential performance at 400 and 950 C. Using materials characterization and spectroscopy techniques including scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical and structural changes are tracked, identified, and assessed over the course of three months. Samples treated at 400 °C show no major structural or chemical changes in the catalyst, while samples treated at 950 °C show gradual transformation into a nonporous quartz-mullite-cristobalite mixture. This suggests indefinite catalyst stability at the former temperature and progressive catalyst degradation at the latter temperature, providing plausible long-term operation conditions and peak temporary conditions for this method of methane abatement."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["M.Eng."]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Materials Characterization and Spectroscopy for a Methane Abatement Catalyst"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Plata, Desiree"],"dc:contributor.department":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering"],"dc:creator":["Wilkinson, Mollie"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2023-08-30T15:56:56Z"],"dc:date.available":["2023-08-30T15:56:56Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2023-06"],"dc:description.abstract":["Methane is the second-most emitted greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide, and it is significantly more powerful as a short-term warmer, making it a valuable target for climate change mitigation efforts. Zeolites are earth-abundant minerals common in catalysis for their low price combined with high conversion and throughput potential. This study evaluates a specific copper-zeolite (mordenite) methane oxidation catalyst for long-term durability and potential performance at 400 and 950 C. Using materials characterization and spectroscopy techniques including scanning-electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical and structural changes are tracked, identified, and assessed over the course of three months. Samples treated at 400 °C show no major structural or chemical changes in the catalyst, while samples treated at 950 °C show gradual transformation into a nonporous quartz-mullite-cristobalite mixture. This suggests indefinite catalyst stability at the former temperature and progressive catalyst degradation at the latter temperature, providing plausible long-term operation conditions and peak temporary conditions for this method of methane abatement."],"dc:description.degree":["M.Eng."],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/151987"],"dc:publisher":["Massachusetts Institute of Technology"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted","Copyright retained by author(s)"],"dc:rights.uri":["https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/"],"dc:title":["Materials Characterization and Spectroscopy for a Methane Abatement Catalyst"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master","Master of Engineering in Civil and Environmental Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:21:42Z"}