Origin of the Robust Catalytic Performance of Nanodiamond–Graphene-Supported Pt Nanoparticles Used in the Propane Dehydrogenation Reaction

Fine-tuned local coordination environment of Pt-N in nanocarbons for efficient propane dehydrogenation

Based on the disturbance of electronic density, nitrogen-doped nanocarbons show promising properties to anchor metal clusters. However, precisely regulating the coordination mode between N species and the active site remains challenging. Herein, we rationally designed three N types (graphitic N, pyridinic N and pyrrolic N) in nanocarbons to anchor Pt clusters for the benchmark propane dehydrogenation. The specific activity of the pyridinic-N-doped catalyst was 147.54 molC3H6 molPt-1 h-1 at 550 °C, which was 1.3 times higher than those of graphitic- and pyrrolic-N-doped catalysts. Unlike the regular tetrahedron Pt cluster in the graphitic-N catalyst or the distorted three-layered Pt cluster in the pyrrolic-N catalyst, the Pt cluster in the pyridinic-N catalyst was an inverted tetrahedron, which increased the contact degree without geometric repulsion towards C-H bond scission. The geometric parameters of detached H and C atoms in the methylene group for the pyridinic N catalyst was decreased to strengthen the C-H bond scission. After CH3CHCH3* adsorption, the Bader charge of the Pt active site also became highly positive, which tailored the d-band center closer to the Fermi level and provided more vacant orbitals for C-H bond breakage. Therefore, pyridinic N in nanocarbons is promising to anchor small-sized Pt for alkane dehydrogenation in terms of geometric and electronic effects.

Modulating the surface structure of nanodiamonds to enhance the electronic metal–support interaction of efficient ruthenium catalysts for levulinic acid hydrogenation

The annealed nanodiamond-supported Ru NPs with high electron density exhibit efficient activity and high stability for hydrogenation of levulinic acid.

Fully-exposed Pt-Fe cluster for efficient preferential oxidation of CO towards hydrogen purification

Hydrogen is increasingly being discussed as clean energy for the goal of net-zero carbon emissions, applied in the proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). The preferential oxidation of CO (PROX) in hydrogen is a promising solution for hydrogen purification to avoid catalysts from being poisoned by the trace amount of CO in hydrogen-rich fuel gas. Here, we report the fabrication of a novel bimetallic Pt-Fe catalyst with ultralow metal loading, in which fully-exposed Pt clusters bonded with neighbor atomically dispersed Fe atoms on the defective graphene surface. The fully-exposed PtFe cluster catalyst could achieve complete elimination of CO through PROX reaction and almost 100% CO selectivity, while maintaining good stability for a long period. It has the mass-specific activity of 6.19 (molCO)*(gPt)−1*h−1 at room temperature, which surpasses those reported in literatures. The exhaustive experimental results and theoretical calculations reveal that the construction of fully-exposed bimetallic Pt-Fe cluster catalysts with maximized atomic efficiency and abundant interfacial sites could facilitate oxygen activation on unsaturated Fe species and CO adsorption on electron-rich Pt clusters to hence the probability of CO oxidation, leading to excellent reactivity in practical applications.

Revealing the promotion of carbonyl groups on vacancy stabilized Pt4/nanocarbons for propane dehydrogenation

Nanocarbons are promising supports for Pt clusters applied in propane dehydrogenation (PDH), owing to their large surface areas and tunable chemical properties. The vacancies and oxygen-containing groups (OCGs) in nanocarbons can enhance catalytic performance by tailoring the coordination environment of Pt clusters. Herein, 46 nanocarbons with coexisting vacancies and OCGs were designed to support Pt clusters, of which the influences on PDH were revealed by density functional theory calculations. Nanocarbons with divacancies (V2) and CO edge groups were screened out as the most appropriate support for Pt clusters in PDH. Due to the V2, tetrahedral Pt clusters were distorted into three-layered configurations, contributing to enhanced binding strength and a favorable reactive pathway starting from the methylene group in propane. This changed the rate-determining step to the first C-H bond scission with a low energy barrier. The introduction of CO edge groups coexisting with V2 further improved the stabilization of Pt clusters, resulting from the increased electron transfer from Pt atoms to C atoms. The abilities to break C-H bonds and inhibit C-C bond cracking were also enhanced as compared to the nanocarbons with only V2. Therefore, this work provides references on the regulation of vacancies and OCGs in carbon-based catalysts.

Advanced design and development of catalysts in propane dehydrogenation

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is an industrial technology for direct propylene production, which has received extensive attention and realized large-scale application. At present, the commercial Pt/Cr-based catalysts suffer from fast deactivation and inferior stability resulting from active species sintering and coke depositing. To overcome the above problems, several strategies such as the modification of the support and the introduction of additives have been proposed to strengthen the catalytic performance and prolong the robust stability of Pt/Cr-based catalysts. This review firstly gives a brief description of the development of PDH and PDH catalysts. Then, the advanced research progress of supported noble metals and non-noble metals together with metal-free materials for PDH is systematically summarized along with the material design and active origin as well as the existing problems in the development of PDH catalysts. Furthermore, the review also emphasizes advanced synthetic strategies based on novel design of PDH catalysts with improved dehydrogenation activity and stability. Finally, the future challenges and directions of PDH catalysts are provided for the development of their further industrial application.

Tailoring Single-Atom Platinum for Selective and Stable Catalysts in Propane Dehydrogenation

Propane dehydrogenation has been a promising method for producing propylene that has the potentials to meet the increasing global demand for propylene. However, owing to the restricted equilibrium conversion caused by the high endothermicity, even the Pt-based catalysts, which exhibit high activity and selectivity, severely suffer significantly from coke formation and/or nanoparticle sintering at realistic reaction temperatures, resulting in a short catalyst lifetime. As a result, few innovative catalysts in terms of catalytic activity, selectivity, and stability, have been produced. In this Review, we focus on the characteristics of single-atom-like Pt sites for PDH and attempt to provide suggestions for developing highly efficient catalysts. First, we briefly describe the fundamental strategies. Following that, the remarkable catalysis is addressed by three different distinct sorts of state-of-the-art single-atom-like Pt catalysts are discussed. Additionally, we present other promising catalyst design approaches that are not based on single-atom-like Pt catalysts, as well as future research challenges in this field.

Few-Atom Pt Ensembles Enable Efficient Catalytic Cyclohexane Dehydrogenation for Hydrogen Production

Identification of catalytic active sites is pivotal in the design of highly effective heterogeneous metal catalysts, especially for structure-sensitive reactions. Downsizing the dimension of the metal species on the catalyst increases the dispersion, which is maximized when the metal exists as single atoms, namely, single-atom catalysts (SACs). SACs have been reported to be efficient for various catalytic reactions. We show here that the Pt SACs, although with the highest metal atom utilization efficiency, are totally inactive in the cyclohexane (C₆H₁₂) dehydrogenation reaction, an important reaction that could enable efficient hydrogen transportation. Instead, catalysts enriched with fully exposed few-atom Pt ensembles, with a Pt-Pt coordination number of around 2, achieve the optimal catalytic performance. The superior performance of a fully exposed few-atom ensemble catalyst is attributed to its high d-band center, multiple neighboring metal sites, and weak binding of the product.

Propane Dehydrogenation over PtSn/Al2O3 Catalysts: Influence of Urea to Al(NO3)3·9H2O Ratio

Al2O3 supports were synthesized by the hydrothermal method and PtSn/Al2O3 catalysts were prepared by incipient-wetness impregnation method. The influence of the ratio of urea to Al(NO3)3·9H2O on the structure and catalytic performance for propane dehydrogenation was investigated. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption–desorption, SEM, H2-TPR, NH3-TPD and Raman. The results show that the ratios of urea to Al(NO3)3·9H2O influence the morphology and phy-chemical properties of Al2O3 support, which influence the dispersion of PtSn active sites and the interaction of Pt and Sn on PtSn/Al2O3 catalysts. The PtSn/Al2O3-9 catalyst possesses the highest interaction of Pt and Sn, which result in high dispersion of active sites. The PtSn/Al2O3-9 catalyst shows high propane conversion and low deactivation rate among these catalysts.

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts on nanodiamond and its derivatives: synthesis and catalytic application

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts (ADMCs) have attracted increasing interest in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. As sub-nanometric catalysts, ADMCs have exhibited remarkable catalytic performance in many reactions. ADMCs are classified into two categories: single atom catalysts (SACs) and atomically dispersed clusters with a few atoms. To stabilize the highly active ADMCs, nanodiamond (ND) and its derivatives (NDDs) are promising supports. In this Feature Article, we have introduced the advantages of NDDs with a highly curved surface and tunable surface properties. The controllable defective sites and oxygen functional groups are known as the anchoring sites for ADMCs. Tunable surface acid-base properties enable ADMCs supported on NDDs to exhibit unique selectivity towards target products and an extended lifetime in many reactions. In addition, we have firstly overviewed the recent advances in the synthesis strategies for effectively fabricating ADMCs on NDDs, and further discussed how to achieve the atomic dispersion of metal precursors and stabilize the as-formed metal atoms against migration and agglomeration based on NDDs. And then, we have also systematically summarized the advantages of ADMCs supported on NDDs in reactions, including hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, aerobic oxidation and electrochemical reaction. These reactions can also effectively guide the design of ADMCs. The recent progress in understanding the effect of structure of active centers and metal-support interactions (MSIs) on the catalytic performance of ADMCs is particularly highlighted. At last, the possible research directions in ADMCs are forecasted.

Tuning the selectivity of catalytic nitriles hydrogenation by structure regulation in atomically dispersed Pd catalysts

The product selectivity in catalytic hydrogenation of nitriles is strongly correlated with the structure of the catalyst. In this work, two types of atomically dispersed Pd species stabilized on the defect-rich nanodiamond-graphene (ND@G) hybrid support: single Pd atoms (Pd₁/ND@G) and fully exposed Pd clusters with average three Pd atoms (Pd_n/ND@G), were fabricated. The two catalysts show distinct difference in the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitriles. The Pd₁/ND@G catalyst preferentially generates secondary amines (Turnover frequency (TOF@333 K 709 h⁻¹, selectivity >98%), while the Pd_n/ND@G catalyst exhibits high selectivity towards primary amines (TOF@313 K 543 h⁻¹, selectivity >98%) under mild reaction conditions. Detailed characterizations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations show that the structure of atomically dispersed Pd catalysts governs the dissociative adsorption pattern of H₂ and also the hydrogenation pathway of the benzylideneimine (BI) intermediate, resulting in different product selectivity over Pd₁/ND@G and Pd_n/ND@G, respectively. The structure-performance relationship established over atomically dispersed Pd catalysts provides valuable insights for designing catalysts with tunable selectivity.

The selective hydrogenation of nitriles to prepare corresponding amines is highly desired in chemistry industry. Here, the authors selectively obtained secondary amines and primary amines over two types of atomically dispersed Pd catalysts supported on the nanodiamond-graphene hybrid support.

Tailoring the catalytic performance of single platinum anchored on graphene by vacancy engineering for propane dehydrogenation: a theoretical study

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is an effective approach to produce propylene. Downsizing the Pt species to single atom catalysts (SACs) has become a hotspot, owing to the maximum utilization and excellent catalytic behavior. However, the agglomeration of SACs is the decisive limitation for high temperature PDH. Herein, single Pt atoms were anchored on graphene with different types of vacancies, and their catalytic performances on PDH were explored based on density functional theory (DFT). As the vacancy size increased, the catalytic activity decreased. It was because the combined site of the detached H atom in propane would transfer from the Pt atom to the C atom around vacancies, thus increasing the migration distance and lowering the activity. However, with the increase of vacancy size, the selectivity to propylene was improved, owing to the enhanced repulsion between C atoms in graphene and propylene. Therefore, instead of stabilizing the single atom, vacancies in carbon materials can also tailor the catalytic performance by geometric disturbance. This fundamental work opens up the possibility for purposeful SAC design in PDH.

Doubly Decorated Platinum-Gallium Intermetallics as Stable Catalysts for Propane Dehydrogenation

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is a promising chemical process that can satisfy the increasing global demand for propylene. However, the Pt-based catalysts that have been reported thus far are typically deactivated at ≥600 °C by side reactions and coke formation. Thus, such catalysts possess an insufficient life. Herein, we report a novel catalyst design concept, namely, the double decoration of PtGa intermetallics by Pb and Ca, which synergize the geometric and electronic promotion effects on the catalyst stability, respectively. Pb is deposited on the three-fold Pt₃ sites of the PtGa nanoparticles to block them, whereas Ca, which affords an electron-enriched single-atom-like Pt₁ site, is placed around the nanoparticles. Thus, PtGa-Ca-Pb/SiO₂ exhibits an outstandingly high catalytic stability, even at 600 °C (k_d =0.00033 h^-1 , τ=3067 h), and almost no deactivation of the catalyst was observed for up to 1 month for the first time.

Sulfur stabilizing metal nanoclusters on carbon at high temperatures

Supported metal nanoclusters consisting of several dozen atoms are highly attractive for heterogeneous catalysis with unique catalytic properties. However, the metal nanocluster catalysts face the challenges of thermal sintering and consequent deactivation owing to the loss of metal surface areas particularly in the applications of high-temperature reactions. Here, we report that sulfur-a documented poison reagent for metal catalysts-when doped in a carbon matrix can stabilize ~1 nanometer metal nanoclusters (Pt, Ru, Rh, Os, and Ir) at high temperatures up to 700 °C. We find that the enhanced adhesion strength between metal nanoclusters and the sulfur-doped carbon support, which arises from the interfacial metal-sulfur bonding, greatly retards both metal atom diffusion and nanocluster migration. In catalyzing propane dehydrogenation at 550 °C, the sulfur-doped carbon supported Pt nanocluster catalyst with interfacial electronic effects exhibits higher selectivity to propene as well as more stable durability than sulfur-free carbon supported catalysts.

C-H bond activation in light alkanes: a theoretical perspective

Alkanes are the major constituents of natural gas and crude oil, the feedstocks for the chemical industry. The efficient and selective activation of C-H bonds can convert abundant and low-cost hydrocarbon feedstocks into value-added products. Due to the increasing global demand for light alkenes and their corresponding polymers as well as synthesis gas and hydrogen production, C-H bond activation of light alkanes has attracted widespread attention. A theoretical understanding of C-H bond activation in light hydrocarbons via density functional theory (DFT) and microkinetic modeling provides a feasible approach to gain insight into the process and guidelines for designing more efficient catalysts to promote light alkane transformation. This review describes the recent progress in computational catalysis that has addressed the C-H bond activation of light alkanes. We start with direct and oxidative C-H bond activation of methane, with emphasis placed on kinetic and mechanistic insights obtained from DFT assisted microkinetic analysis into steam and dry reforming, and the partial oxidation dependence on metal/oxide surfaces and nanoparticle size. Direct and oxidative activation of the C-H bond of ethane and propane on various metal and oxide surfaces are subsequently reviewed, including the elucidation of active sites, intriguing mechanisms, microkinetic modeling, and electronic features of the ethane and propane conversion processes with a focus on suppressing the side reaction and coke formation. The main target of this review is to give fundamental insight into C-H bond activation of light alkanes, which can provide useful guidance for the optimization of catalysts in future research.

Dehydrogenation of light alkanes to mono-olefins

In the past several decades, light alkane dehydrogenation to mono-olefins, especially propane dehydrogenation to propylene has gained widespread attention and much development in the field of research and commercial application. Under suitable conditions, the supported Pt-Sn and CrO_x catalysts widely used in industry exhibit satisfactory dehydrogenation activity and selectivity. However, the high cost of Pt and the potential environmental problems of CrO_x have driven researchers to improve the coking and sintering resistance of Pt catalysts, and to find new non-noble metal and environment-friendly catalysts. As for the development of the reactor, it should be noted that low operation pressure is beneficial for improving the single-pass conversion, decreasing the amount of unconverted alkane recycled back to the reactor, and reducing the energy consumption of the whole process. Therefore, the research direction of reactor improvement is towards reducing the pressure drop. This review is aimed at introducing the characteristics of the dehydrogenation reaction, the progress made in the development of catalysts and reactors, and a new understanding of reaction mechanism as well as its guiding role in the development of catalyst and reactor.

Metal-based catalysts for the non-oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes to light olefins

This review provides an overview of metal-based catalysts, including Pt-, Pd-, Rh- and Ni-based bimetallic catalysts for non-oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes to olefins.

Propane dehydrogenation: catalyst development, new chemistry, and emerging technologies

This review describes recent advances in the propane dehydrogenation process in terms of emerging technologies, catalyst development and new chemistry.

Recent progress in heterogeneous metal and metal oxide catalysts for direct dehydrogenation of ethane and propane

Metal and metal oxide catalysts for non-oxidative ethane/propane dehydrogenation are outlined with respect to catalyst synthesis, structure–property relationship and catalytic mechanism.

Single Vanadium Atoms Anchored on Graphitic Carbon Nitride as a High-Performance Catalyst for Non-oxidative Propane Dehydrogenation

In comparison with oil-based cracking technologies, the on-purpose dehydrogenation of propane (PDH) is a more eco-friendly and profitable approach to produce propylene. By means of density functional theory calculations, the present work reveals that the single vanadium (V) atom anchored on graphitic carbon nitride (V₁/g-C₃N₄) may serve as a promising single-atom catalyst for non-oxidative PDH with industrially practical activity, selectivity, and thermal stability. The high activity of V₁/g-C₃N₄ for PDH is attributed to the low-coordinated 3d orbitals of single V atoms, while the propylene selectivity is originated from the inhibition of the di-σ binding mode of propylene on the single V atoms. This work provides a guideline to design and screen out promising single-atom catalysts for selective dehydrogenation of alkanes.

Ru-Promoted CO2 activation for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane over chromium oxide catalyst

A volcano-shape propylene production rate trend as Ru loading on CrO_x catalysts increases for CO₂-assisted C₃H₈ dehydrogenation reaction.

New insight into the enhanced catalytic performance of ZnPt/HZSM-5 catalysts for direct dehydrogenation of propane to propylene

Framework Zn species and small-sized PtZn particles in ZnPt/HZSM-5 catalyst function cooperatively in PDH, showing excellent performance at 525 °C.

Defective graphene@diamond hybrid nanocarbon material as an effective and stable metal-free catalyst for acetylene hydrochlorination

The nanodiamond–graphene hybrid material (ND@G) exhibits superior catalytic activity comparable to Au/C catalysts due to abundant surface defects.

Pt NPs immobilized on a N-doped graphene@Al2O3 hybrid support as robust catalysts for low temperature CO oxidation

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) immobilized on a N-doped graphene@Al2O3 hybrid support (Al2O3@CNx) were synthesized and employed for low temperature CO oxidation. The superior catalytic activity was attributed to a strong metal-support interaction between Pt NPs and the N-doped graphene surface which was also confirmed in the direct dehydrogenation reaction.

Multifunctional Surface Modification of Nanodiamonds Based on Dopamine Polymerization

Surface functionalization of nanodiamonds (NDs), which is of great interest in advanced material and therapeutic applications, requires the immobilization of functional species, such as nucleic acids, bioprobes, drugs, and metal nanoparticles, onto NDs' surfaces to form stable nanoconjugates. However, it is still challenging to modify the surface of NDs due to the complexity of their surface chemistry and the low density of each functional group on the surfaces of NDs. In this work, we demonstrate a general applicable surface functionalization approach for the preparation of ND-based core-shell nanoconjugates using dopamine polymerization. By taking advantage of the universal adhesion and versatile reactivity of polydopamine, we have effectively conjugated DNA and silver nanoparticles onto NDs. Moreover, the catalytic activity of ND-supported silver nanoparticle was characterized by the reduction of 4-nitrophenol, and the addressability of NDs was tested through DNA hybridization that formed satellite ND-gold nanorod conjugation. This simple and robust method we have presented may significantly improve the capability for attaching various functionalities onto NDs and open up new platforms for applications of NDs.