Effects of pre-treatment of a silica-supported gallium oxide catalyst with H2 on its catalytic performance for dehydrogenation of propane

The pre-treatment of a silica-supported gallium oxide catalyst with H-2 at 823 K increased the yield of aromatics and the selectivity to aromatics in the dehydrogenation of propane over the catalyst at 823 K. Gallium oxide in the catalyst was partially reduced with H-2 at 823 K. NH3 desorption and DRIFTS studies on the gallium oxide catalyst suggest that the dehydrogenation of propane over a silica-supported gallium oxide catalyst would proceed in the following way: (1) the dehydrogenation of propane to produce propene would occur on Ga sites including Gad(delta+)-H sites and (2) the aromatization of propene to aromatics on Ga-O-H acid sites.