Low-temperature oxidation reactions of ethane over a Pt/Al 2O3 catalyst

Oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane was performed under conventional microreactor and TAP reactor conditions over a Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst between 100 and 600°C. During TAP studies, no ethene was produced whereas under flow conditions small but significant ethene formation was observed. This is consistent with a mechanism involving the gas-phase production of ethene rather than via a surface reaction. In comparison, both hydrogen and methane formation were found under TAP conditions and the trends with temperature and surface oxide composition are interpreted in terms of successive dehydrogenation steps on the catalyst surface. It is further observed that periodic introduction of the reactants can minimize deactivation processes.