Catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene with carbon dioxide: promotional effect of antimony in supported vanadium–antimony oxide catalyst

Alumina-supported vanadium oxide, VOx/Al2O3, and binary vanadium–antimony oxides, VSbOx/Al2O3, have been tested in the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation with carbon dioxide and characterized by SBET, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, hydrogen temperature-programmed reduction and CO2 pulse methods. VSbOx/Al2O3 exhibited enhanced catalytic activity and especially on-stream stability compared to VOx/Al2O3 catalyst. Incorporation of antimony into VOx/Al2O3 increased dispersion of active VOx species, enhanced redox properties of the systems and formed a new mixed vanadium–antimony oxide phase in the most catalytically efficient V0.43Sb0.57Ox/Al2O3 system.