The types of metal M and crystal surface in the PtM (M = Co, Ni, Zn) IMCs catalysts to regulate catalytic performance of ethane direct dehydrogenation

PtM IMCs have improved catalytic performance of ethane dehydrogenation (EDH), however, identifying the functions of the types of metal M and crystal surface for the PtM IMCs catalysts in regulating EDH catalytic performance are still a challenge in experiment. This work fully investigated catalytic performance of EDH over three crystal surfaces (110), (111) and (200) of PtM IMCs (M = Co, Ni, Zn) by using density functional theory (DFT) calculations and kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulations. The results show that the catalytic performance of EDH over PtM IMCs strongly depend on the types of metal M and crystal surfaces, the PtZn(1 1 1) catalyst is screened out as the most promising in EDH reaction with the optimal reaction temperature of 773.15 K. The geometrically isolated Pt site in the [PtM3] assembly of PtZn(1 1 1) could catalyze the C-H cleavage, and C2H4* exhibits weak pi-adsorption model at the individual Pt sites, promoting C2H4* desorption. Compared to (110) and (200) surfaces, the (1 1 1) surface with moderate Bader charge transfer showed the highest C2H4(g) production activity, and Zn atoms transferred more electrons to Pt atoms, which greatly weakened the charge transfer between C2H4* and the catalyst surface, favoring C2H4* desorption to inhibit C2H4* deep dehydrogenation. Moreover, the catalytic performance of PtZn(1 1 1) catalyst is superior to the industrially used PtSn catalyst. This work provides valuable structure clue for the design of high-performance catalyst in alkane direct dehydrogenation.