From ethene to propene (ETP) on tailored silica–alumina supports with isolated Ni( ii ) sites: uncovering the importance of surface nickel aluminate sites and the carbon-pool mechanism

, containing surface Ni aluminate sites, is shown to be reversible by calcination (coke removal), in contrast to the deactivation of surface Ni silicate or aluminosilicate sites, which deactivate irreversibly by forming Ni nanoparticles.