Pt–(O)–Co Coordination Governs the Durability of Pt-Based Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation

Non-oxidative propane dehydrogenation (PDH) has emerged as a promising technology
for on-purpose propene production, but the Pt-based catalysts currently used are expensive and
prone to sintering of platinum, which negatively affects their performance. Their activity can
be restored by redispersing the active species after treatment in environmentally harmful Cl2 or
Cl-containing compounds. Herein, we demonstrate the application potential of Silicalite-1-
supported Pt-Co bimetallic catalysts prepared by a simple impregnation method with a Pt
loading of only 0.1 wt% and provide the origins of their high activity and especially durability.
In terms of propene space-time yield related to the total amount of catalyst or platinum loading,
the optimized 1Co0.1Pt/S-1 catalyst performed similarly to, or better than Pt-containing
catalysts that had been previously developed and tested, albeit at higher temperatures. Another
distinctive property of this catalyst is its high durability demonstrated in six
dehydrogenation/regeneration cycles. The durability was found to increase progressively as the
Co loading increases from 0 to 1 wt%. ... mehrComprehensive characterization revealed that the
interaction strength between Pt and Co species, as reflected by the Pt–(O)–Co coordination
number in the fresh catalysts, is the key factor governing catalyst durability. These findings
provide valuable insights into the rational design of highly active and regenerable Pt-based
dehydrogenation catalysts through the regulation of metal-metal interactions.