Chinese scientists have developed a groundbreaking propylene production method to contribute to carbon reduction efforts. The finding was published online in the journal Science on Friday.

Propylene serves as a fundamental chemical feedstock for various products, such as plastics, medical supplies, automotive components and building materials. However, the existing technology for direct dehydrogenation of propane to propylene requires substantial heat input, leading to high energy consumption and carbon emissions.

A research team from Tianjin University has developed a reaction system comprised of abundant metal oxides for the dehydrogenation of propane (endothermic). The system efficiently utilizes the heat generated through its selective combustion of the side-product (exothermic) to compensate for the heat needed for the overall reaction.

Compared to traditional processes, the new technology can lower the reaction temperature by 30 to 50 degrees Celsius, which is expected to reduce energy consumption by 20 to 30 percent, leading to a significant decrease in carbon dioxide emissions.

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