Redox-Acidity Interplay in Eu-Promoted PtSn₂ Catalysts for Selective and Stable Propane Dehydrogenation

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Catalysis
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Platinum alloy catalysts are crucial for propane dehydrogenation (PDH).
• Coking and poor nanoparticle stability limit industrial use of current catalysts.
• Enhanced dispersion and surface tuning are key catalyst design goals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a new class of PtSn2-based catalysts for efficient and stable PDH.
• To investigate the promotional effect of rare-earth elements on PtSn2 catalysts.
• To understand how rare-earth promoters influence catalyst structure and surface chemistry.

Main Methods:

• Screening of rare-earth elements as promoters for PtSn2 catalysts.
• Characterization of nanoparticle size, thermal stability, and electronic properties.
• Evaluation of catalytic performance in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and deactivation studies.

Main Results:

• Europium (Eu) demonstrated the most significant promotional effect.
• Eu enabled formation of stable ~1.3 nm PtSn2 nanoparticles.
• The optimized 0.5% Pt-3% Sn-2% Eu/γ-Al2O3 catalyst achieved 40.6% propylene yield at 575°C with low deactivation (0.047 h⁻¹).

Conclusions:

• Rare-earth elements act as multifunctional promoters in alloy catalysts.
• Europium enhances PtSn2 catalyst dispersion, stability, and coke suppression.
• This strategy offers a new pathway for designing high-performance catalysts for dehydrogenation and hydrocarbon upgrading.