High-entropy intermetallic compounds induced by rare-earth europium as efficient catalysts for propane dehydrogenation

Abstract

Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) has emerged as a promising technology to address the growing demand for propylene. However, Pt-based catalysts face a fundamental challenge in balancing high catalytic activity with long-term stability owing to the restriction of the linear scaling relationship. Herein, we present a breakthrough solution through the development of a europium-modified Pt-based high-entropy intermetallic (HEI) catalyst. The introduction of the rare-earth metal Eu breaks the trade-off relationship by reducing the size of the nanoparticles, thereby exposing more active species and increasing catalytic activity while providing an electron-rich Pt center to facilitate the desorption of propylene. The optimal HEI PtZnInSnEu/SiO₂ catalyst enables over 40% propylene yield with sustained catalytic stability during continuous 100 hours of operation at 580 °C.