Mesoporous (ZrO sub(2)-TiO sub(2))/Al sub(2)O sub(3) ternary carriers as hydrodesulfurization catalysts support

• Published in: The Journal of physics and chemistry of solids Vol. 71; no. 7; pp. 1004 - 1012
• Main Authors: Ulin, Carlos A, De los Reyes, Jose A, Escobar, Jose, Barrera, Maria C, Cortes-Jacome, Maria A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2010
• Subjects: Aluminum oxide; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chlorides; Molybdenum disulfide; Oxides; Porosity; Zirconium dioxide
• ISSN: 0022-3697
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2010.04.003

Ternary systems at various compositions were synthesized by coprecipitating Zr and Ti (to get a ZrO sub(2)-TiO sub(2) 40-60 mol%) chlorides in aqueous basic media (provided by urea thermal decomposition) over an alumina substrate. Materials characterization included N sub(2) physisorption, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, high-resolution electron microscopy and Raman and UV-vis spectroscopies. High interaction among components was clearly evidenced by various techniques. Textural properties of ternary oxides could be tuned depending on composition of formulations. Mixed oxides with 10 or 20 mol% of ZrO sub(2)-TiO sub(2) (at 40-60% mol, in turn) had the most suitable combination of textural properties (surface area, average pore diameter and pore volume) for the intended application (support of catalyst for hydrodesulfurization de oil-derived middle distillates). The suitability of those ternary supports was demonstrated in the dibenzothiophene hydrodesulfurization where the corresponding supported MoS sub(2) catalysts (at 2.8 atom Mo nm super(-2)) were much more active (on a per mass of catalyst basis) than when impregnated over either alumina or zirconia-titania oxides.