ZnO Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Material and Silicalite-1 Composites for Efficient Propane Dehydrogenation

Non-oxidative propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is an attractive reaction from both an industrial and a scientific viewpoint because it allows direct large-scale production of propene and fundamental analysis of C-H activation respectively. The main challenges are related to achieving high activity, selectivity, and on-stream stability of environment-friendly and cost-efficient catalysts without non-noble metals. Here, we describe an approach for the preparation of supported ultrasmall ZnO nanoparticles (2–4 nm, ZnO NPs) for high-temperature applications. The approach consists of encapsulation of NPs into a nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) layer in situ grown from zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 on a Silicalite-1 support. The NC layer was established to control the size of ZnO NPs and to hinder their loss to a large extent at high temperatures. The designed catalysts exhibited high activity, selectivity, and on-stream stability in PDH. Propene selectivity of about 90% at 44.4% propane conversion was achieved at 600°C after nearly 6 h on stream. •Supported catalysts with stable ultrasmall ZnO nanoparticles were prepared•The N-doped carbon layer helps to protect ZnO NPs from sintering and volatilization•The catalysts exhibited excellent activity and stability in propane dehydrogenation Chemistry; Catalysis; Nanoparticles