Decoding the acidity effect of Pt‐based dehydrogenation catalysts on their dehydrogenation performance

Abstract Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) has become a significant method for propylene production. However, the systematic effects of catalyst acidity on dehydrogenation performance remain unclear. In this study, Pt‐based dehydrogenation catalysts with different acidities were prepared using n‐nonane modification, and their dehydrogenation performance was evaluated and compared. The synergistic interactions between the catalyst's acidity and its metallic functionality were thoroughly investigated. The results demonstrate that the relationship between the acidity of the PDH catalyst, the selectivity for propylene, and catalyst coke deposition follows a volcano‐shaped curve. An optimal acidity exists that allows Pt‐based dehydrogenation catalysts to achieve efficient performance. Specifically, the desorption of the target product, propylene, necessitates the combined action of acidic and metallic sites. Excessive acidic sites affect the desorption of propylene on acidic sites, while insufficient acidic sites affect the desorption of propylene on metallic sites. This study provides theoretical guidance for the design of PDH catalyst systems.