title: Surface-modified carbon nanotubes catalyze oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane.
abstract: Butenes and butadiene, which are useful intermediates for the synthesis of polymers and other compounds, are synthesized traditionally by oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of n-butane over complex metal oxides. Such catalysts require high O2/butane ratios to maintain the activity, which leads to unwanted product oxidation. We show that carbon nanotubes with modified surface functionality efficiently catalyze the oxidative dehydrogenation of n-butane to butenes, especially butadiene. For low O2/butane ratios, a high selectivity to alkenes was achieved for periods as long as 100 hours. This process is mildly catalyzed by ketonic CO groups and occurs via a combination of parallel and sequential oxidation steps. A small amount of phosphorus greatly improved the selectivity by suppressing the combustion of hydrocarbons.
authors.affiliation: Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Faradayweg 4-6, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Raoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blume
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schlögl
authors.forename: Dang Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Su