Dehydrogenation of Ethylbenzene to Styrene over Rhenium- and Tungsten-Containing Porous Ceramic Converters

A series of tubular porous ceramic converters modified with mono- and bimetallic catalytic systems based on rhenium and tungsten were prepared by a combination of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis and the sol-gel method. These converters were tested in dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene. Among the tested samples, a monometallic tungsten-containing converter exhibited the optimal properties as it achieved the highest target product production performance. Within the temperature range of 550-600 degrees C, this converter provided a yield of styrene up to about 15 wt % and styrene productivity up to about 22 g h(-1) dm(-3), with the carbonization of the sample not exceeding 5 wt % over about 6 h of reaction.