Combining CO₂ reduction with propane oxidative dehydrogenation over bimetallic catalysts

Area of Science:

• Chemical Engineering
• Catalysis Science
• Environmental Chemistry

Background:

• Global propylene production faces challenges due to steam cracker variability.
• There is a growing need for on-purpose propylene technologies to meet demand.
• Utilizing greenhouse gases like CO2 in chemical processes offers environmental benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane by CO2 (CO2-ODHP) as an on-purpose propylene technology.
• To evaluate the performance of non-precious FeNi and precious NiPt catalysts supported on CeO2 for CO2-ODHP.
• To understand the reaction mechanisms and active species under reaction conditions.

Main Methods:

• Flow reactor studies at 823 K to assess catalyst performance.
• In-situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) to determine metal oxidation states.
• Density functional theory (DFT) calculations to elucidate reaction pathways.

Main Results:

• FeNi and NiPt catalysts supported on CeO2 demonstrate potential for CO2-ODHP and dry reforming.
• In-situ XAS provided insights into the oxidation states of metals during the reaction.
• DFT calculations identified favorable reaction pathways for propane conversion.

Conclusions:

• CO2-ODHP is a viable on-purpose technology for propylene production.
• Catalyst composition and support (CeO2) significantly influence performance.
• Understanding reaction mechanisms is crucial for optimizing catalyst design.