Chinese Journal of Catalysis ›› 2016, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (3): 359-366.DOI: 10.1016/S1872-2067(15)61042-7

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The effect of ethanol on the performance of CrOx/SiO2 catalysts during propane dehydrogenation

Lina Lia,b, Wenliang Zhua, Lei Shia, Yong Liua, Hongchao Liua, Youming Nia, Shiping Liua,b, Hui Zhoua,b, Zhongmin Liua   

  1. a Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, National Engineering Laboratory for Methanol to Olefins, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China;
    b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2015-11-20 Revised:2015-12-30 Online:2016-02-29 Published:2016-02-29
  • Contact: Zhongmin Liu

Abstract:

The effects of ethanol vapor pretreatment on the performance of CrOx/SiO2 catalysts during the dehydrogenation of propane to propylene were studied with and without the presence of CO2. The catalyst pretreated with ethanol vapor exhibited better catalytic activity than the pristine CrOx/SiO2, generating 41.4% propane conversion and 84.8% propylene selectivity. The various catalyst samples prepared were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy. The data show that coordinative Cr3+ species represent the active sites during the dehydrogenation of propane and that these species serve as precursors for the generation of Cr3+. Cr3+ is reduced during the reaction, leading to a decrease in catalytic activity. Following ethanol vapor pretreatment, the reduced CrOx in the catalyst is readily re-oxidized to Cr6+ by CO2. The pretreated catalyst thus exhibits high activity during the propane dehydrogenation reaction by maintaining the active Cr3+ states.

Key words: Propane, Dehydrogenation, CrOx/SiO2 catalyst, Ethanol vapor pretreatment, Carbon dioxide