Advances of Co-based catalysts in non-oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes

As indispensable basic raw materials, low-carbon olefins such as ethylene and propylene keep increasing global demand continuously. The dehydrogenation of light alkanes to olefins has shown broad application prospects due to its abundant raw materials, low cost and high selectivity in comparison with traditional oil-based production routes. Co-based catalysts with merits of low cost, environmentally friendly, and superior dehydrogenation performance, have attracted a wide attention. The review systematically summarizes the research progress of Co-based catalysts in the dehydrogenation of light alkanes to olefins in recent years, mainly focusing on the dehydrogenation mechanism, and regulation of the properties of cobalt species and support structure. The characteristics of cobalt species are affected by various factors such as preparation method, pre-treatment condition, cobalt loading, and promotor modification. While the support regulation mainly concentrates on its morphology, pore structure, and acid-base properties. It is pointed out that increasing the dispersion degree of cobalt species and enhancing the cobalt speciessupport interaction could efficiently improve the activity and stability of Co-based catalysts in alkane dehydrogenation reaction.