CO2-assisted oxidative dehydrogenation of propane enabled by the second metal promoter of Ga on Pt/silica catalysts

BACKGROUND Carbon dioxide-assisted propane dehydrogenation (CO 2 -ODP) is a promising advanced technology for propylene production. However, a significant challenge still remains in advancing the adsorption and activation of propane and CO 2 , as hydrogenolysis and oligomerization isomerization reactions severely constrain propylene production. RESULTS In this work, we introduce Ga as a second metal promoter into Pt/SiO 2 catalysts, effectively promoting the dispersion of active particles and significantly reducing their size, thereby enhancing their catalytic activity. Meanwhile, the impregnation of Ga also promotes the activation of CO 2 , ultimately accelerating the reverse gas–water shift reaction. CONCLUSION The propylene yield and CO 2 conversion of Pt–Ga 1 /SiO 2 catalyst increased up to 40.45% and 45.10%, respectively, which were 17.54 and 6.62 times higher than those of the pristine SiO 2 –Pt catalyst at weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) = 3.1 h −1 . Most notably, the C 3 H 6 selectivity of SiO 2 –Pt/Ga 1 catalyst remarkably achieved an impressive value of 99.04%, which was much higher than that of other bimetallic-based catalysts, thus providing valuable guidance for the rational development of bimetallic highly active CO 2 -ODP catalysts. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).