Infrared spectroscopy studies of cyclohexene hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalyzed by platinum nanoparticles supported on mesoporous silicate (SBA-15). Part 1: The role of particle size of Pt nanocrystals supported on SBA-15 silicate

Platinum nanoparticles were prepared from colloidal solution in the 5–16 nm range. SBA-15 mesoporous silica was impregnated with particles small enough to enter the 10 nm pores until 0.1 wt% loading was reached. Characterization of the catalysts was carried out by XRD, TEM and BET. Cyclohexene hydrogenation/dehydrogenation was monitored using a reaction cell that permitted infrared spectroscopy monitoring of the gas phase as well as the catalyst surface that was pressed in a wafer and inserted in the reactor. The surface hydroxyl groups on the mesoporous silica show shifts in the 3633–3705 cm^–1 range characteristic of the presence of cyclohexene, 1,3- and 1,4-cyclohexadienes. Reaction studies using 10 Torr of cyclohexene and 100 Torr of hydrogen in the 298–473 K range showed that hydrogenation occurs readily at room temperature while dehydrogenation takes place only at higher temperatures as expected. The small platinum nanoparticles carry out reactions at the highest rates while the largest size metal particles of the lowest. There is no apparent change of metal particle size during the reactions.