Co/Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different Co 3 O 4 loadings were studied in catalytic dehydrogenation of propane. The optimal results of 21.5 wt% propylene yield and 83.6 % selectivity were obtained at 5 wt% loading. XRD, DRS and XPS results showed that at loadings below 10 wt%, the ''surface Co spinel'' formed from tetrahedral Co 2? ions during the course of reaction constituted the active site for dehydrogenation reaction. Whereas at high loadings (above 10 wt%), only Co 3 O 4 crystallites presented, which were easily reduced to metallic Co species, resulting in dramatically enhanced cracking reaction and the formation of abundant methane.
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