Effect of aluminum modification on catalytic properties of PtSn-based catalysts supported on SBA-15 for propane dehydrogenation

The catalytic properties of PtSn-based catalysts supported on siliceous SBA-15 and Al-modified SBA-15, such as Al-incorporated SBA-15 (AlSBA-15) and alumina-modified SBA-15 (Al2O3/SBA-15), for propane dehydrogenation were investigated. Al2O3/SBA-15 was prepared either by an impregnation method using aluminum nitrate aqueous solution, or by the treatment of SBA-15 with a Al(OC3H7)(3) solution in anhydrous toluene. N-2-physisorption, FT-IR spectroscopy, solid-state Al-27 MAS NMR spectroscopy, hydrogen chemisorption, XRF, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and TPO were used to characterize these samples. Among these catalysts, the PtSn-based catalyst supported on Al2O3/SBA-15, which was grafted with Al(OC3H7)(3), exhibited the best catalytic performance in terms of activity and stability The possible reason was due to the high Pt metal dispersion and/or the strong interactions among Pt, Sn, and the support.