In situ growth of phosphorus-doped boron nitride on commercial alumina as a robust catalyst for direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene

Direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene catalyzed by metal-free materials is one of the most challenging topics in the chemical industry currently. Here, PBN@Al2O3(N) synthesized by in situ growth of phosphorus-doped boron nitride on commercial alumina is reported as a highly stable catalyst for at least 300 h with a stable ethylbenzene conversion of 93.51% and a styrene selectivity of over 95%, respectively. Control experiments and characterization indicated that the activity could be attributed to the combination of active sites on thin PBN layers and the boron-modified alumina surface, which enhanced the strength and amount of moderate acidic and basic sites. Besides, the even coverage of PBN on the porous alumina sphere ensured the excellent mass transfer of the reactant and product, leading to the obviously improved stability. The accessibility of commercial alumina and the facile synthesis technique made the catalyst an outstanding prospect for large-scale industrial application.

Automated summary

The direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene catalyzed by PBN@Al2O3(N) is reported as a highly stable process with excellent conversion and selectivity. The catalyst utilizes a combination of active sites on thin PBN layers and boron-modified alumina surface to enhance the strength and amount of moderate acidic and basic sites, resulting in improved mass transfer and stability. The easy accessibility of commercial alumina and simple synthesis technique make this catalyst a promising candidate for large-scale industrial applications.