CrOx/SiO2 mesoporous catalysts prepared using beta-cyclodextrin as a template and their catalytic properties in propane oxidative dehydrogenation in the presence of carbon dioxide

This work is aimed at the preparation and investigation of CrOx/SiO2 catalysts of oxidative propane dehydrogenation in the presence of carbon dioxide. The mesoporous silicas used as carriers were prepared via a sol-gel method using a beta-cyclodextrin and urea mixture as a template. The amounts of water added during Si(OEt)4 hydrolysis and chromium oxide loading were varied. The obtained catalysts were characterised via nitrogen low-temperature adsorption-desorption, XRD, SAXS, SEM with EDX, TEM, XPS, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and the catalytic tests.