Tandem In2O3-Pt/Al2O3 Catalyst for Coupling of Propane Dehydrogenation to Selective H2 Combustion, published in Science. (From Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering) “Northwestern engineering researchers have demonstrated a new approach to chemical catalysis that results in high propylene yields using less energy. The findings could support more energy-efficient production processes for many plastics. The technique called oxidative dehydrogenation has long been studied as an alternative way to make propylene from propane without the high-temperature restrictions. This approach reacts propane and oxygen over a catalyst to produce propylene and water. Yet, because propylene is more reactive to oxygen than propane, the reaction typically only yields only a small amount of propylene.”