Introduction . With the growing demand for energy and chemical products in contemporary society, the utilization of natural gas has been attracting more and more attention. At present, most studies on the direct conversion of low-carbon alkanes at relatively lower temperatures are focused on methane1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14. Ethane (C 2 H 6 ) is the second major component in shale gas, which features a high C–H bond ene...