Nature Energy, Published online: 17 March 2026; doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02013-w Photocatalysts for methane conversion can suffer from inefficient charge carrier diffusion, limiting their effectiveness. Here the authors exploit the insulator–metal transition in VO2 to create an electronic phase junction, enhancing the non-oxidative conversion of methane into hydrogen, ethane and propane, with peak efficiency at the transition’s critical temperature.
Nature Energy, Published online: 17 March 2026;
doi:10.1038/s41560-026-02013-w
Photocatalysts for methane conversion can suffer from inefficient charge carrier diffusion, limiting their effectiveness. Here the authors exploit the insulator–metal transition in VO2 to create an electronic phase junction, enhancing the non-oxidative conversion of methane into hydrogen, ethane and propane, with peak efficiency at the transition’s critical temperature.
— Source: Nature Energy (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-026-02013-w)