Methane to Products (M2P)
Principal investigator of the division: Fabio Coral Fonseca (IPEN)

Searching for new technologies to convert methane into molecules with greater added value was the main objective of this CINE division. The goal was challenging: the high stability of methane, which is the least reactive of all hydrocarbons, makes it difficult to transform it into other compounds.

Therefore, M2P researchers had to develop new materials and equipment. Using innovative electrochemical reactors based on fuel cells, they obtained molecules such as ethylene and methanol, which are currently produced mainly through processes with high carbon emissions within the petrochemical industry.

“We fully achieved the initial objective, which was to search for new technologies for the challenging problem of converting methane into molecules with greater added value”, summarizes Prof. Fabio.