Operando Luminescence Thermometry for Hydrocarbon Conversion Catalysis: Dealing with Dynamic Changes in Catalyst...

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Luminescence thermometry enables remote temperature sensing in catalytic processes.
• Catalyst deactivation, particularly carbon deposition in hydrocarbon conversion, alters optical properties, leading to inaccurate temperature readings.
• Dynamic changes in catalyst color and fluorescence interfere with precise measurements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an accurate operando luminescence thermometry method for dynamic catalytic systems.
• To address challenges posed by changing optical properties of catalysts, specifically carbon buildup.
• To showcase the method using a platinum-tin (Pt-Sn) propane dehydrogenation (PDH) catalyst.

Main Methods:

• Developed reflectance-corrected time-gated luminescence thermometry.
• Utilized pulsed excitation and time-gated detection to reject background fluorescence.
• Implemented wavelength-dependent absorption correction for the catalyst material.

Main Results:

• Successfully rejected background fluorescence from carbon deposits.
• Corrected for dynamic changes in catalyst optical properties.
• Achieved accurate temperature sensing of the Pt-Sn PDH catalyst during reaction-regeneration cycles.

Conclusions:

• Reflectance-corrected time-gated luminescence thermometry provides accurate temperature sensing for catalysts with dynamic optical properties.
• This advancement is crucial for understanding and optimizing catalytic processes like propane dehydrogenation.
• The method represents a significant step forward for luminescence thermometry in challenging industrial applications.