NOVELTY - A catalytic material comprises catalytic nanowires and/or a diluent. The diluent comprises an alkaline earth metal compound, silicon carbide, cordierite, boron trioxide, lanthanide oxide, strontium aluminate and/or boron strontium oxide. The alkaline earth metal compound is not magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium aluminate or calcium aluminate.    USE - Catalytic material is used for reactor for oxidative coupling of methane for preparing ethane and ethylene for preparing downstream product of ethylene (all claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The catalytic material has excellent catalytic activity, and provides oxidative coupling of methane with high selectivity and yield.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for the following:    (1) reactor, which has a catalytic bed comprising an inlet end, an outlet end and the catalytic material comprising active catalyst and diluent, in which the catalytic bed comprises a concentration gradient of active catalyst. The concentration of active catalyst is more at the inlet end than the outlet end;    (2) preparation of catalytic material, which involves admixing catalytic nanowires with sacrificial binder, removing the sacrificial binder, and obtaining catalytic material comprising substantially no binder material and having an increased microporosity with respect to catalytic material prepared without the sacrificial binder;    (3) method for oxidative coupling of methane (10), which involves converting methane to one or more 2C hydrocarbons in presence of the catalytic material containing oxygen-oxidative coupling of methane catalyst(s) and carbon dioxide-oxidative coupling of methane catalyst(s);    (4) preparation of ethylene, which involves converting methane to ethylene in presence of the catalytic material containing oxygen-oxidative coupling of methane catalyst(s) and carbon dioxide-oxidative dehydrogenation catalyst(s);    (5) preparation of ethane or ethylene (C2), which involves contacting the catalytic material or reactor with a mixture comprising methane and oxygen; and    (6) preparation of a downstream product of ethylene, which involves oligomerizing ethylene prepared by contacting the catalytic material or reactor with a mixture comprising methane and oxygen.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a cross-sectional view explaining oxidative coupling of methane.    Oxidative coupling of methane (10)    Ethane or ethylene (C2)    Metal (M)    Oxygen (O)