Zeolite-encapsulated metal catalysts for alkane conversion

Catalytic alkane conversion offers a promising pathway to produce sustainable fuels and chemicals, yet it requires substantial catalyst development to achieve practical viability. Encapsulating metal species within zeolite crystals has emerged as a versatile strategy for designing high-performance heterogeneous catalysts, which consistently surpass conventionally supported catalysts for alkane conversion. The sub-nanometer channels/cages of zeolites create a confined microenvironment that effectively stabilizes metal species and modulates their chemical and electronic properties. In this review, zeolite-encapsulated single-metal atom, cluster and alloy nanocatalysts are explored for their excellent performance in alkane dehydrogenation and reforming. The synergistic effect between a confined ultrasmall Pt cluster and an acidic zeolite framework also greatly enhances the catalytic performance of Pt@zeolite for alkane dehydroaromatization and isomerization. Efforts are also made to highlight the type of zeolite, preparation method, structure-performance relationship, and underlying mechanisms of such catalysts. Future prospects for metal@zeolite include developing universal preparation methods, identifying metal atom/cluster locations, and understanding metal-zeolite interfaces.