Preparation of CeO 2 -Modified Mg(Al)O-Supported Pt–Cu Alloy Catalysts Derived from Hydrotalcite-Like Precursors and Their Catalytic Behavior for Direct Dehydrogenation of Propane

A series of PtCuCeMgAl quintuple hydrotalcite-like compounds with different Ce contents were synthesized by one-pot method. After calcining and reduction, CeO2-modified Mg(Al)O-supported Pt–Cu alloy catalysts were obtained. To understand the effect of Cu and Ce, the structure and physico-chemistry properties of the catalysts were characterized and analyzed, and the catalytic behaviors were investigated in a direct dehydrogenation of propane to propene. The results show that the Pt4+, Cu2+, and Ce3+ ions can be incorporated into the brucite-like layers and the Ce content significantly affects the interaction strength between Pt and Cu and the dehydrogenation performance of propane. Under the reaction conditions, the highest propane conversion (45%) with 89% selectivity to propene and a 40% propene yield were achieved with a 0.3 wt% Ce-modified PtCu/Mg(Al)O catalyst. The improved catalytic performance is related to the easy formation of Pt–Cu alloy phase, excellent resistance to sintering, and coke deposits of active components modified by CeO2.