UV-Vis-IR Spectroscopy in TAP System

Ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectroscopy is a method used in a Temporal Analysis of Product catalytic reactor system to examine the changes happening on a catalyst surface during catalysis. This method was used to examine the Catofin process, which includes propane dehydrogenation with a chromium oxide catalyst. Propane was pulsed in nanomole quantities hundreds of times over a fresh catalyst, followed by hundreds of nanomole pulsed of oxygen. Experiments looked at the timing of reduction and oxidation, as well as carbon deposition and removal. Result showed that the reduction of the chromium oxide catalyst occurs very quickly during propane dehydrogenation followed by carbon deposition. During the oxygen pulse cycle, oxidation happens rapidly and is followed by carbon removal. This work hopes to bring efficiency to the large-scale industrial process to lower energy needs.