Dual anchoring strategy to construct low metal loading Co/BEA catalyst for propane dehydrogenation

Abstract

Cobalt-based catalysts have garnered significant attention in propane dehydrogenation (PDH) due to their cost-effectiveness and environmental compatibility, where the properties of Co species dictate catalytic performance. However, conventional synthesis methods fail to simultaneously achieve precise encapsulation and structural stabilization of Co sites under harsh PDH conditions. Herein, we propose an innovative dual-anchoring strategy that synergizes strong electrostatic adsorption (SEA) and secondary crystallization (SC) to engineer highly stable yet active Co centers at low metal loadings (0.145 wt%). The SEA process enabled directional anchoring of Co precursors within silanol nests of dealuminated BEA zeolite, while SC treatment prevented Co aggregation. This synergistic approach yielded tetrahedral Co²⁺ (Td-Co²⁺) sites with exceptional dispersion and optimized Lewis acidity, achieving stable PDH operation for 110 hours with specific activity surpassing most reported catalysts.