Isobutane Dehydrogenation Assisted by CO₂ over Silicalite‐1‐Supported ZnO Catalysts: Influence of Support Crystallite Size

Abstract

Summary of main observation and conclusion The ZnO catalysts supported on Silicalite‐1 zeolites with different crystallite sizes (0.08, 0.35, 1 and 1.7 μm, respectively) and 5% Zn were synthesized via an incipient wetness method. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption, SEM, TEM‐EDX, DRIFT spectra and NH3‐TPD, and their catalytic performance in isobutane dehydrogenation assisted by CO2 was investigated. The catalytic activity is strongly dependent on the crystallite size of Silicalite‐1 support. The ZnO/S‐1‐0.35 catalyst with ca. 0.35 μm crystallite size displays the highest activity, affording an initial isobutane conversion of 51.0% and 74.5% isobutene selectivity. This can be attributed to a higher amount of acid sites present on this catalyst as well as the largest amount of nest silanols possessed by the S‐1‐0.35 support.