Support stabilized PtCu single-atom alloys for propane dehydrogenation

-O-Si formed upon reduction at 680 °C serves as the adhesive between Cu nanoparticles and the silicon dioxide matrix, strengthening the metal-support interaction. Consequently, the resistance to sintering of PtCu SAAs was improved, leading to high catalytic stability during propane dehydrogenation without sacrificing conversion and selectivity. The optimized PtCu SAA catalyst achieved more than 42% propane conversion and 93% propylene selectivity at 580 °C for at least 30 hours. It paves a way for the design and development of highly active supported single-atom alloy catalysts with excellent thermal stability.