Ni₂P/ZrO₂-SBA-15 Dibenzothiophene Hydrodesulfurization Catalysts: Preparation, Characterization and Evaluation

Abstract

Ni₂P/ZrO₂-SBA-15 catalysts with different zirconium n-propoxide/SBA-15 mass ratios were synthesized to evaluate their dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization catalytic activity. Effect of ZrO₂ introduction was investigated. Supports and catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, ²⁹Si NMR, XPS and FTIR. The results indicated that zirconium was incorporated into SBA-15 in the forms of [(–O–)₂Si(–O–Zr)₂] and/or [(–O–)₃Si–O–Zr], and that the SBA-15 framework structure was maintained after incorporation of ZrO₂. With zirconium content increasing, ZrO₂ was transformed from amorphous phase to tetragonal phase. Zirconium incorporation into SBA-15 supports could facilitate to form more dispersed Ni₂P active phase. There might be some interaction occurring between the P and Zr species. In addition to Ni₂P, another kind of active phase, ZrP, was formed, which might exhibit a better HDS activity than Ni₂P. It was observed that at a temperature of 280 °C, pressure of 3.0 MPa, WHSV of 6.5 h⁻¹ and H₂ to oil ratio of 450, the Ni₂P/Zr-SBA(1.5) catalyst, where 1.5 represents zirconium n-propoxide/SBA-15 mass ratio, showed the highest DBT conversion, which was 86.6%, almost 35% higher than that of the Ni₂P/Zr-SBA(0) catalyst.

Keywords

Nickel phosphide / Hydrodesulfurization / ZrO₂ modified SBA-15

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