Coupling of Propane with CO2 to Propylene Catalyzed by V–Fe Modified KIT-6 Zeolites

Abstract

Propane dehydrogenation to propene is an endothermic reaction and CO₂ hydrogenation to light olefins is an exothermic reaction. Using the CO₂ hydrogenation reaction to consume the hydrogen from the propane dehydrogenation reaction, which is more favorable to propylene formation. A new method for coupling propane and CO₂ to propylene is presented. The V–Fe modified KIT-6 was prepared by the ultrasonic-assisted impregnation method and used for coupling reaction of propane with CO₂ to propylene. Exploring the relationship between catalytic properties and physicochemical characteristics through several characterization methods. As the appropriate amounts of V and Fe species were introduced into the framework of KIT-6, V–Fe modified KIT-6 performed large specific surface area, a highly ordered mesoporous structure and highly dispersed V and Fe active sites. The catalysis performance of V–Fe modified KIT-6 zeolites for production of propylene by propane dehydrogenation, CO₂ hydrogenation and coupling reaction of C₃H₈ with CO₂ was compared. Under the conditions of C₃H₈/CO₂/N₂ = 1:4:5, total flow rate = 20 mL/min, the temperature at 580 °C, the reaction pressure at 0.1 MPa, V/Fe molar ratio = 2 and the catalyst mass of 0.2 g, the propane conversion, propylene selectivity and yield are 37.8%, 87.0% and 32.9%, respectively.

Graphic Abstract