The formation of coke, or carbonaceous deposits, is a persistent problem for dehydrogenation catalysts, as it results in their rapid deactivation. Deactivation is typically attributed to physical blocking of active sites on the catalyst. Coke formation on Pt-based alkane dehydrogenation catalysts originates from the lack of selectivity of the catalyst; side reactions for deeper dehydrogenation past alkenes and C-C cracking contribute to coke formation.