Chromia-alumina catalysts for the dehydrogenation of propane prepared by a modified method of codeposition

• Published in: Catalysis in industry Vol. 3; no. 2; pp. 128 - 135
• Main Authors: Didenko, L. P., Kolesnikova, A. M., Voronetskii, M. S., Savchenko, V. I., Domashnev, I. A., Sementsova, L. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.06.2011
• Subjects: Catalysis; Catalysis in Chemical and Petrochemical Industry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; chromia-alumina catalyst; propane dehydrogenation; modified method of codeposition
• ISSN: 2070-0504; 2070-0555
• DOI: 10.1134/S2070050411020048

A method for preparing chromia-alumina catalysts for the dehydrogenation of propane, enabling us to increase the activity and thermal stability of a catalyst relative to currently known catalysts, is proposed. Chromia-alumina catalysts were prepared for the first time using a modified method of codeposition, in which a suspension of chromium and aluminum hydroxides was subjected to a high-temperature treatment (550°C). The proposed method is simple and allows us to reduce the number of stages in the preparation of the catalyst. The phase composition and texture of the catalyst, and the formation and properties of surface-active forms in dependence on the conditions of catalyst preparation, were studied using a set of physicochemical methods. The selected conditions of catalyst preparation ensured high specific surface area and a stable bond between the surface forms of chromium and the support, hindering the formation of the catalytically low-activity form α-Cr 2 O 3 during calcination. In this work, we synthesized and studied laboratory samples of a chromia-alumina catalyst with different contents of chromium (2.8–11.3 wt %). With respect to the main parameters (conversion of propane, selectivity to propylene, and resistance to coke formation), the catalyst was as good as more active samples known from the literature and exhibited high activity at low chromium contents (2.8–5.5 wt %). This method of catalyst preparation is protected by a patent of the Russian Federation and recommended for improving industrial technology.