Nanocrystalline Sulfided NiMoW Catalyst Supported on Mesoporous Aluminas for the Hydrodesulfurization of 4,6-Dimethyldibenzothiophene

Tri-metallic NiMoW catalysts prepared by impregnating mesoporous aluminas (pore sizes of ~9 nm and surface areas ~225 m2/g) obtained sol-gel (NiMoW/Al) hydrothermal (NiMoW/AlHYDT) processes were investigated in the hydrodesulfurization (HDS) thiophene 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6-DMDBT) at H2 pressures 1 MPa 5.0 MPa, respectively. The supports characterized N2 physisorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), photoelectron (XPS), high-resolution transmission (HRTEM). NiMoW/AlHYDT catalyst, which was most active both test HDS reactions, a pore size 7.5 nm, whereas catalyst on alumina only 4.8 nm. Moreover, exhibited peaks shifted to lower temperature during TPR, indicating weaker metal support interactions, higher degree Mo (79%) W (48%) sulfidation, an optimal layer slab length distribution Mo(W)S2 nanocrystals preferentially between 2–4 with average stacking 1.7 compared NiMoW/Al counterpart.