Dehydrogenation of isobutane to isobutene over a Pt-Cu bimetallic catalyst in the presence of LaAlO3 perovskite

Abstract In this study, isobutane dehydrogenation to isobutene reaction was carried out in a series of Pt-Cu bimetallic catalysts prepared by co-impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by means of several techniques, including XRD, N2 adsorption-desorption, TEM, XPS, H2-TPR and TG. The results show that the existence of LaAlO3 perovskite can enhance the dispersion and sintering resistance of metal nanoparticles and facilitate the transfer of carbon deposits from active sites to the support. Interestingly, the perovskite nanoparticles can also inhibit the reduction of CuOx and the formation of PtCu alloys, resulting in the suitable interaction between Pt and Cu. The Pt-Cu/LaAlO3/SiO2 catalyst exhibits the optimal dehydrogenation performance with an isobutane conversion of 47% and isobutene selectivity of 92% after 310 min reaction, which was ascribed to the unique role of LaAlO3 perovskite as well as the appropriate Pt-Cu interaction.