Propane dehydrogenation over Pt and Ga-containing MFI zeolites with modified acidity and textural properties

A variety of oxides (titanium, tin, calcium, magnesium, and gallium) were supported over nano-crystalline ZSM-5 zeolite (n-ZSM-5) by wet impregnation, characterized and evaluated for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) reaction. To enhance the catalytic performance of the oxide-modified n-ZSM-5, Pt nanoparticles were also dispersed over the oxides-supported zeolite catalysts by wet impregnation. Finally, Ga-containing MFI zeolites were used as catalysts in the PDH. Ga was incorporated into the zeolite by two different methods, via hydrothermal synthesis and via wet impregnation. In the PDH reaction, Pt-containing samples exhibited a high initial catalytic activity although they suffered a fast deactivation by coke deposition. On the contrary, Ga-containing MFI catalysts showed a remarkable stability in the PDH reaction. In particular, the catalyst in which Ga was incorporated into the MFI structure by hydrothermal synthesis (Ga-MFI (nSH)) achieved the highest catalytic performance in PDH (9% conversion and 80% propylene selectivity) due to the synergy between the Brønsted and Lewis acid sites (BAS and LAS) and the optimal strength of its LAS sites. These results denote the great potential of Ga-MFI zeolites as catalysts in PDH reactions.