Researchers convert methane into graphene oxide using plasma-water process
Last update on Jul 15, 2026
A new process developed by researchers at Texas A&M University offers a domestic alternative to produce graphene oxide directly from methane using a nonthermal plasma-water interface. The work is published in Nature Communications.
The process, led by Dr. David Staack, associate professor and deputy vice chancellor for research, uses an electrical plasma discharge to convert methane, the primary component of natural gas, into high-purity graphene oxide while producing hydrogen as a byproduct. The result emerged unexpectedly from a project that initially set out to produce hydrogen alone.
Direct synthesis eliminates the need for graphite feedstocks
The approach departs from how graphene oxide is conventionally made. Rather than starting from bulk graphite and breaking it down through chemically intensive processing, the Texas A&M process builds the material directly from methane molecules.
"When we started this work, hydrogen was the product and carbon was the byproduct," Staack said. "As we continued the research, we realized the carbon material we were producing was actually one of the most valuable outcomes. "Most graphene oxide today is produced from graphite through chemically intensive processes. We're taking a very different approach. Instead of starting with a bulk material and breaking it apart, we're building the material from methane molecules."
Graphene oxide is a single-atom-thick carbon material valued for its conductivity, strength and versatility, with established use in lithium-ion batteries as well as coatings, composites and other advanced materials. According to Staack, domestic supply chains for graphite and graphite-derived materials remain limited, a constraint that has driven interest in alternative production pathways.
Dr. Micah Green, professor and associate department head of chemical engineering, served as co-principal investigator on the project, contributing expertise in carbon nanomaterials to characterize the material and evaluate its potential applications.
"This is the first scalable production of graphene oxide from natural gas precursors ever reported," Green said. "This is part of a new push by industry to produce high-value carbon nanomaterials from petrochemical sources. Instead of carbon emissions, carbon is rerouted to form solid functional materials."
Green noted that graphene oxide's ability to disperse in water is a particular advantage, allowing it to be incorporated into coatings, inks and other advanced manufacturing applications.
Production method developed cost-effective graphene oxide
According to the study, the graphene oxide produced through the plasma process shows properties comparable to commercially available graphene oxide, with the potential for significantly lower production costs. The researchers report a scalable approach capable of producing high-purity, single-layer graphene oxide under atmospheric conditions.
College Station-based energy company LTEOIL supported the project, sponsoring research aimed at improving hydrogen production while identifying new ways to create value from hydrocarbons.
"I believe that we as a university have a responsibility to develop and transition science into useful technology that benefits our state," Green said. "Industry looks to the university to find out what is possible and how it can change the way we do business. This paper is a great example of that technology transition."
Howard B. Jemison '86, CTO of LTEOIL, said the technology could support more efficient and sustainable manufacturing pathways for advanced materials. Beyond producing graphene oxide, the process generates hydrogen while limiting carbon emissions: rather than converting carbon into carbon dioxide, the system channels it into graphene oxide usable in batteries, composites and other products. The researchers see the technology as a potential route to domestic production of carbon nanomaterials, with implications for energy storage, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
"The traditional methods of graphene oxide production from mined graphite require harsh chemicals, so the ability to make high-quality graphene oxide using only electricity, natural gas and water under mild conditions can change this market," Jemison said.
"This is a pathway to create energy and advanced materials at the same time," Staack said. "The goal is to develop solutions that make economic sense while also reducing emissions."