Pt/Graphite Nanofiber Catalyst in n-Hexane Test Reaction

Five percent Pt on a “platelet-type” graphite nanofiber was active in skeletal reactions of n-hexane at lower temperature than Pt/SiO2. The turnover frequencies showed maxima in both cases as a function of hydrogen pressure, p(H2). Pt/graphite nanofiber produced significantly more isomers than EUROPT-1 at lower temperature and higher p(H2). The selectivity of fragments was small, and their distribution showed almost perfectly random rupture. The propensities for both features can be explained by there being more surface H available with the nanofiber support. It is indicated that this combination may be a promising metal catalyst for low-temperature alkane isomerization reactions.