Co(II) sites embedded within Beta zeolite as efficient catalyst for propane dehydrogenation

Co-based catalysts are emerging as one of the most promising catalysts for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) due to their abundant availability, environmental friendliness, and efficient activation of the C–H bond. Isolated Co(II) is recognized as the active site for activating the C–H bond in PDH; however, the controllable synthesis of Co catalysts with well-defined isolated Co(II) remains a challenge. In this study, a direct and straightforward route was developed for the synthesis of Co-Beta using a fluorine-assisted hydrothermal crystallization method. The structure of Co-Beta was studied using various characterization tools, including XRD, STEM, H 2 -TPR, UV–vis, XPS, solid-state 29 Si MAS NMR and EXAFS techniques. It was confirmed that the Co species are incorporated into the structure of Beta zeolite, existing as isolated Co(II) sites embedded within the framework of Beta zeolite. The optimized catalyst, 1.0Co-Beta, exhibits excellent performance in PDH, achieving a propane conversion of approximately 50 % and propylene selectivity of around 96 % at 600 °C. This performance surpasses that of previously reported non-noble metal catalysts. This study provides fundamental insights on the design and synthesis of highly dispersed metal oxide catalysts for PDH.