Now, Feng-Shou Xiao and co-workers have incorporated isolated Co sites into siliceous zeolite crystals (CoS-1) for PDH under simulated industrial Oleflex technology conditions. Impressively, the propane conversion, propylene selectivity, yield, and both the continuous and cycle stability of CoS-1 are comparable to those of the commercial PtSn/Al2O3 catalyst, even under demanding conditions such as the absence of hydrogen as the carrier gas, high propane weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) and undiluted propane as the feedstock. Additionally, CoS-1 can be easily regenerated through calcination in air, eliminating the need for oxychlorination, which is essential in the Oleflex process to redisperse Pt species. Both advanced characterization techniques and computational simulations indicate that the exclusively tetrahedral, stable Co site in a strongly reducing atmosphere plays a vital role in enhancing PDH efficiency and facilitating rapid propylene desorption.
The authors demonstrate that Co-containing zeolite catalysts, free from unstable Co species, can achieve superior performance in PDH, even surpassing Pt–Sn benchmarks. Overall, this work proposes a promising strategy for enhancing the efficiency and practicality of the PDH process to align with more critical industrial needs. However, further investigation is necessary to assess its compatibility with existing industrial infrastructure and systems for large-scale production.
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