Pt confined in Sn-ECNU-46 zeolite for efficient alkane dehydrogenation

Highly dispersed and stable Pt-based catalysts play a crucial role in constructing efficient catalytic systems for alkane dehydrogenation. In this study, a novel bimetallic Pt–Sn catalyst confined in extra-large-pore ECNU-46 zeolite (denoted as Pt/Sn-ECNU-46) is prepared by post-treatment. The open-site framework Sn species ((SiO)3Sn–OH) serve as anchors to interact with Pt species, favoring the high dispersion of Pt. On the other hand, the framework Sn species act as the second metal to regulate the geometrical and electronic environment of Pt species, thus suppressing their accumulation. Pt/Sn-ECNU-46 achieves a good performance in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) reaction with high initial propane conversion (46%) and propylene selectivity (> 99%) as well as regeneration ability. In addition, Pt/Sn-ECNU-46 is also active in the dehydrogenation of n-hexane. This study explores the application of extra-large-pore zeolite as support in constructing metal-confined catalysts for alkane dehydrogenation.