Dehydrogenation of n-Butane to Butenes and 1,3-Butadiene over PtAg/Al 2 O 3 Catalysts in the Presence of H 2

Abstract

The Al2O3-supported PtAg catalysts were prepared and evaluated for the dehydrogenation of n-butane at 550°C in the presence of H2. The PtAg/Al2O3 catalyst prepared by an impregnation method using the Cl- removing Pt/Al2O3 and AgNO3 showed a higher activity and selectivity to butenes and 1,3-butadiene compared to the Pt/Al2O3 catalyst, but a large amount of coke (about 30 wt% versus the catalyst weight) was formed during the dehydrogenation. The free Ag metal on the prepared catalyst dramatically promoted the coke formation, because the dehydrogenation of 1-butene over the Ag/Al2O3 catalyst produced a large amount of coke. The Cl- addition to the Cl- free Pt/Al2O3 catalyst decreased the coke formation by the reaction of the free Ag particles and Cl to form AgCl which was inactive for the coke formation. The highest initial conversion (50.3%) was obtained with the selectivity to butenes and 1,3-butadiene (butenes = 80.2% and 1,3-butadiene = 5.9%) when the PtAg/Al2O3 catalyst modified with Cl- was used.