Structure-Activity Study of Pt-Ga-Si-Al2O3 Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation

This proposal aims at studying the speciation, oxidation state and local environment of Pt and Ga in several Pt-Ga-Si-Al2O3 catalysts active in propane dehydrogenation (PDH). These model catalysts contain tailored Si, Al, Ga interfaces with small Pt particles engineered by atomic layer deposition (ALD) and surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) approaches, respectively. The goal is to understand, via an operando XAS investigation, which structural and electronic changes of Pt and Ga are associated with the irreversible catalyst deactivation observed in reaction-regeneration cycles.