Dehydrogenation of propane over a silica-supported vanadium oxide catalyst

The dehydrogenation of propane over a silica-supported vanadium oxide catalyst was investigated at 823 K under atmospheric pressure in the presence/absence of CO₂. The yield of propene and the selectivity to propene were higher in the dehydrogenation in the presence of CO₂ than those in the dehydrogenation in the absence of CO₂. On the other hand, the yield of aromatics and the selectivity to aromatics were much higher in the dehydrogenation in the absence of CO₂ than those in the dehydrogenation in the presence of CO₂. TPR measurements, NH₃ desorption studies and in-situ UV–vis studies on the catalyst were also performed to elucidate the effects of CO₂ on the behavior of the vanadium oxide in the catalyst during the dehydrogenation of propane.