Chemical looping (CL) is a process which allows a reaction to be separated into two independent sub-reactions that are linked by an oxygen carrier material (OCM). This allows the reactants for the two sub-reactions to remain separated with two distinct outputs. In the first sub-reaction for CL partial oxidation of methane (POM), methane is partially oxidised by the OCM and the OCM is reduced. In the second sub-reaction the OCM is re-oxidised. This can be done in air or other oxidising gas. The oxidised OCM is then re-used for the partial oxidation of methane, completing the loop.

The OCM is the most important part of a CL system. The properties required for an OCM to be used for POM are: resistance to sintering and carbon deposition, long term redox stability, high oxygen transport rates, high oxygen capacity and selectivity to syngas. Perovskites, such as Lanthanum Strontium Ferrite (La0.6Sr0.4FeO3/LSF641), possess inherent desirable properties for use as an OCM. However these properties can be significantly improved. LSF641 has a relatively low oxygen capacity, degrades due to coking, is not selective to syngas and requires relatively high operating temperatures. The perovskite structure can be tailored for specific reactions as it can accommodate modifying elements relatively easily. This work focuses on LSF641 and its modification using nickel to promote lower reaction temperatures with methane, higher reactivity and selectivity to syngas, as nickel activates the C-H bond in methane. Additionally, iron oxide is added to the OCM to increase the perovskite's oxygen capacity, serving as oxygen storage sites.

During experementation impregnation of nickel on the surface of the OCM reduced the activation temperature of methane by 200^oC. The mass loss due to oxygen in the non-iron incorporated perovskite was half that of the perovskite incorporating 5wt% iron. By incorporating iron oxide into the bulk of the perovskite the oxygen capacity can be significantly increased.