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<\/p>\nIn our article published recently in Nanoscale, we focus on the thermal dehydrogenation of n-octane (n-C8H18) on the catalytic Pt(111) surface in ultra-high vacuum. Our results shed light on the mechanisms behind the initial stages of this industrially relevant reaction, paving the way for the design of efficient dehydrogenation catalysts.<\/p>\n
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Dehydrogenation of alkanes represents a crucial step for the conversion of these inert sp3 -bonded carbon chains into other valuable unsaturated chemicals. To this end, platinum-based materials are found among the most widely used catalysts. In this work, we characterize this reaction with a combination of surface-sensitive techniques, such as synchrotron-radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal-programmed desorption and scanning tunnelling microscopy, and ab initio calculations. At low dehydrogenation temperatures, two different dehydrogenation stages are observed. At 330 K, n-C8H18 effectively undergoes a completely regioselective C\u2013H bond cleavage at one of its methyl ends. At 600 K, the chemisorbed molecules suffer a double dehydrogenation, yielding double bonds in their carbon skeletons. Diffusion and clustering of the resulting dehydrogenated species represent the first step towards catalytic poisoning of the surface.<\/p>\n
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You can find the work published in:<\/p>\n